The Young Firemen of Lakeville | Page 5

wood had fallen across the threshold of what
had been the big doors of the barn. There was a wide zone of fire, and
from it the frightened horses shrank back, though, once or twice, they
seemed about to make a rush across it to safety.
"How you goin' to do it?" asked the constable.
"Look out!" suddenly called Vincent. "They're coming right for us!"
The maddened creatures, frightened by a puff of smoke that surged
down from the now blazing roof, charged, like a small troop of cavalry,
right at the two boys and the man.
"Down into the stairway!" cried Bert, making a dash for the place they
had just come up. They reached it just in time. The horses thundered
past, huddled together, avoiding by instinct the narrow, steep stairs,
down which, had they stumbled, they would have met their deaths.
"Now's our chance!" cried Bert. "While they're in the far end of the
barn!"
"What are you going to do?" asked Vincent.
"Open those other big doors!"
The barn had two sets of large doors. Only one pair was used, however,
those up to which the elevated driveway led. The others were to give
air to the place, when hay was being stored away, and they opened right

into the cow-yard, ten feet below, with a sheer drop over the threshold.
"Do you think those horses will jump out there?" asked the constable.
"I think they will, rather than burn to death."
"But the jump will break their legs."
"Not a bit of it. The cow-yard is soft and mucky. They will sink down
in it, and the men can lead them out. Come on, Vincent, help me open
the doors." Bert's plan was now evident, and it seemed feasible. But
would the frightened horses leap to safety?
Running up from the stairway, in which they had crouched when the
horses thundered past, the two boys hurried across the barn to the big
doors. Constable Stickler called out:
"I'll go and send some men around to the cowyard."
"All right," replied Bert.
He and Vincent were almost at the doors when, once more, the horses
came at them with a rush. The boys were in great peril, but Bert saw
their chance of safety.
"Jump up on the mowing machine!" he yelled, and he and his chum
crawled upon the apparatus just in time. So close were the horses that
one of them stumbled over the extended tongue of the machine, and fell.
It got up in an instant, however, and joined its companions, that stood
trembling in a corner, staring with terrified eyes at the flames that were
eating closer and closer. The barn floor was smaller than it had been,
for the fire was consuming it, foot by foot.
"Come on, now!" cried Bert, and a moment later he had thrown aside
the heavy bar that held the doors in place, and had swung them open.
The draft, created by the fire, served to hold them so.
"Now help me drive the horses out," he called to Vincent. "Get behind
them, but look out they don't turn on you."

Cautiously the two boys made their way to where the terrified animals
were. Their mere movement was enough to send the horses off on the
run again. Fortunately the leader smelled the fresh air coming in
through the opened doors. The horse paused a moment on the threshold
and seemed to be staring down into the partly illuminated cow-yard.
Would he jump?
"Go on, old fellow!" called Bert, encouragingly. "Jump! You won't hurt
yourself. It's soft mud. Go ahead, old fellow."
Whether the horse understood, or whether the boy's words calmed him,
could not be told. Certainly he did jump, after a moment's hesitation,
and a glance back at the flames which were coming closer and closer.
The other animals followed in an instant, for they had wanted only a
leader. Above the roar of the flames Bert could hear the thud as the
horses landed in the soft muck of the cow-yard, ten feet below. Then
came a shout as the men rushed forward to secure them.
Bert looked from the big double doors. He could see the horses
floundering around. One had fallen down, but none of them seemed to
be injured. The valuable steeds had been saved by the lad's ready wit.
"I wonder if there's anything more we can save?" asked Vincent.
"Let's see if we can't shove out the mowing machine," suggested Bert.
"If it falls in the muck it can't be damaged much."
The two boys shoved the apparatus to the opened doors. Another shove
and it toppled over and out. It landed safely, as they learned later.
"Come on, here are some bales of hay and straw. Might as well