But as there is no gate in the wall, we had to break it down to get the engines in.

There was a large crowd by this time, and we had all the help we needed.

By this time the whole house was flaming like a bonfire.

When we got the wall down the most part of the house was gone, and the fire had caught the surrounding shrubs, so all we could do was to halt on the edge of the mass and squirt water, in the hope of putting out the flames.

But, Lord bless you!" said the officer with good-humored contempt, "you might as well have tried with a child's squirt.