Kit of Greenacre Farm | Page 5

do is to keep the roofs wet
down and try to save the barn."
While the fire was confined to the "ell" kitchen, the two older Peckham
boys set to work up-stairs, under Jean's direction. Kit had made for her
father's room the first thing. When Jean opened the door she found her
piling the contents of the desk and chiffonier drawers helter-skelter into
blankets.
"It's all right, Jean," she called. "I'm not missing a thing. You tie the
corners up and have the boys carry these down-stairs and bring back
the clothes-basket and a couple of tubs for the books. Tell Helen to take
the canaries out."
"Doris has them, and Gladsome, too," answered Jean. "And Mrs.
Gorham is getting all of the preserves out of the cellar, and Mr.
Peckham says he's sure they'll save the piano and most of the best
furniture, but, oh, Kit, just think of how father and mother will feel
when they see the flames in the sky, and know it's Greenacres burning."
"You'd better start in at mother's room and stop cogitating, or we'll be
sliding down a lightning rod to get out of here."
Nobody quite noticed Helen in the excitement, but later when all was
over, it was found that she had rescued all the treasures possible, the
pictures and bric-à-brac, the sofa pillows and all the linen and family
silver that had been packed away in the bottom of the sideboard.

As the rising glow of the flames lighted up the sky help began to arrive
from all quarters. Mrs. Gorham's thoughtfulness in telephoning
immediately brought the Judge first, with all of the neighbors that had
been present at the community meeting. Cousin Roxy was bareheaded,
little curly wisps of hair fluttering around her face.
"I made your father stay up at our place," she told the girls. "You'll all
probably have to come back with me anyhow and excitement isn't good
for him. Besides, he wouldn't be a bit of good around here. Seems like
they're getting the fire under pretty good control. I don't believe all the
house will go. It was fearful old anyway, and it needed to be rebuilt if
you ever expect your great-grandchildren to live here."
Kit noticed an entirely new and unsuspected trait in Cousin Roxy on
this night of excitement. It was the only time when she had not seen her
take command of the situation. But to-night she helped Mrs. Gorham
pack all the necessary household supplies into the back of the wagon
for Shad to drive up to Maple Lawn. As soon as she had seen the extent
of the damage she had said immediately that the robin's nest must be
moved up the hill to her own old home, where she had lived before her
marriage to Judge Ellis.
"It won't take but a couple of days to put it into shape for you, and
Hiram's right up there to look after things. You'll be back here before
snow flies, with a few modern improvements put in, and all of you the
better for the change. Helen, go bring the family treasures from under
that pine tree, and put them in the back of our car."
"You know, Cousin Roxy," Kit exclaimed, "I thought the minute you
showed up down here to-night you'd be the chief of the fire
department."
Cousin Roxy laughed heartily.
"Did you, child? Well, I've always held that there are times and seasons
when you ought to let the men-folks alone. After you've lived a lifetime
in these parts, you'll know that every boy born and bred around here is
taught how to fight fire from the time he can tote a water bucket. Did

you save all the chickens, Shad?"
"Ain't lost even a guinea hen!" Shad assured her. "The barn ain't
touched, and so I'm going to sleep over the harness room and watch out
for the stock."
It was always a secret joy to the girls to hear the way Shad would roll
out about the Greenacre "stock."
"Just as if," Jean said, "we had all the cattle upon a thousand hills and
racers and thoroughbreds into the bargain, instead of Bonnibel and
Lady Bountiful, with Princess and the hens. I think Helen put him up to
it. She always thinks in royal terms of affluence."
CHAPTER III
KIT RISES TO PROPHESY
The morning after the fire found the family at breakfast over with the
Judge's family. It was impossible as yet for the girls to feel the full
reaction over their loss. As the Judge remarked, youth responds to
change and variety quicker than any new interest, and they were
already planning a wonderful reconstruction period. Kit and Billy rode
down on horseback to look at the ruins, and came back with