Then, scared at what she had done, the little mischief-maker hastily buried her fire, swept up the rubbish, and ran off, thinking no one would discover her prank if she never told.
Everybody was very busy, and the big chimney blazed and rumbled unnoticed till the cloud of smoke caught Ben's eye as he festooned his last effort in the flag line, part of an old sheet with the words "Father has come!" in red cambric letters half a foot long sewed upon it.
"Hullo! I do believe they've got up a bonfire, without asking my leave.
Miss Celia never would let us, because the sheds and roofs are so old and dry; I must see about it.

Catch me, Daddy, I'm coming down!" cried Ben, dropping out of the elm with no more thought of where he might light than a squirrel swinging from bough to bough.
His father caught him, and followed in haste as his nimble-footed son raced up the avenue, to stop in the gate-way, frightened at the prospect before him, for falling sparks had already kindled the roof here and there, and the chimney smoked and roared like a small volcano, while Katy's wails and Randa's cries for water came from within.
"Up there with wet blankets, while I get out the hose!" cried Mr.Brown, as he saw at a glance what the danger was.
Ben vanished; and, before his father got the garden hose rigged, he was on the roof with a dripping blanket over the worst spot.

Mrs.Moss had her wits about her in a minute, and ran to put in the fireboard, and stop the draught.

Then, stationing Randa to watch that the falling cinders did no harm inside, she hurried off to help Mr.Brown, who might not know where things were.

But he had roughed it so long, that he was the man for emergencies, and seemed to lay his hand on whatever was needed, by a sort of instinct.