He slipped on some of his clothes, and stepping over quietly opened the outer door, looking into the night.
The new moon had long since vanished behind the horizon, and yet he could see some sort of flickering light, coming from that region back of the house.
At the same time he believed he caught the muttering of voices, or it might be a low chuckle, followed by a plain sneeze.
Smoke came to his nostrils, and that meant fire!
Darry had a sudden vision of Jim Dilks getting even, and it took the form of a burning corn-crib or chicken house.
Filled with indignation, he turned back into the house, and snatched up the old shotgun; gone now was his hesitation with regard to using the gun to pepper the rascally gang that took orders from the even more rascally Jim.
Without saying a word Darry shot out of the door and turned the corner, when his worst fears were realized, for he saw flames rising up alongside the pigsty, which adjoined the building in which the fowls were kept.
His first act was to fire the right barrel of his gun in the air, and at the same time give vent to a shout.
Immediately several shadowy figures, which in spite of their bent attitudes he knew to be boys, started to scamper away, in sudden alarm lest they be recognized, and made to pay the penalty in the squire's court.
As near as Darry could tell there were three of them, and as they ran he believed he could recognize Jim Dilks in the centre of the group.