"It's a fire! Something's burning!" declared Hiram.
The two lads set off on a hard run down the road toward the old Pringle homestead which Yancey Battick occupied.
CHAPTER XX
A BARGAIN
Before Hiram Strong and Orrin Post reached the strip of woodland that divided the open field of Sunnyside from the old Pringle place they heard somebody shouting. After the passing of the rain and the terrible gale of wind the whole countryside seemed very quiet. This raucous voice could have been heard a mile:
"Fire! Fire!"
"It must be his house," Orrin panted, having some difficulty in keeping up with the young farm manager.
"That flame is too far back for the house," Hiram rejoined with confidence.
"The barn, then?"
"It is something at any rate," was the grim reply.