“He is chasing Mr. Gillies’ cow home,” said Jean, and went on opening windows.
But the barking and mooing continued, and they walked up to the barn. There stood Agricola in the open door informing a cow that she was a beauty. Something brought tears to Jean’s eyes as she read aloud the card attached to the cow’s horn:
“My name is Sempronia the Second, and if you want to know who bought me, look on the wall.”
Turning, Jean perceived a sheet of foolscap tacked to the logs. On it were the names of thirty persons. Then the smoke seemed to affect the doctor’s eyes, too, and he stood in silence, holding Jean by one hand and petting Sempronia with the other.
But while they stood there Agricola deserted them and was exploring his old domain. As father and daughter were walking back to the house they heard him again, this time with a different cadence, and they mounted the hill.
Deer after deer sprang up. Refugee rabbits scurried in every direction. Butterflies swarmed by the thousands. The smoke grew thicker and thicker, and a little sound of crackling could be heard. They quickened their steps, descended past the garden, and penetrated the balsams. The air grew hotter and hotter.
They came to their fire-ditch and stood in amazement Between the ditch and the creek the land lay bare in both directions. Only a few black trunks, blazing near the tops, remained of eight acres of woodland.
“Weel, doctor, it’s not so bad, conseedering.”
They turned to the left. There beside the fire-ditch lay the Scotchman, his eyes bloodshot, his spray of yellow beard partly gone, his overalls burned and torn, his shoes covered with clay and ashes.
“Thank God you were here, my friend. What with giving me new live-stock and saving my house, you have put me in debt for the rest of my life. How could you do it, single-handed?”