"It wasn't, Mr. Peake. I got that last night," he said, quickly.
"Doin' what?" went on Abner, who seemed to guess that there was a story back of it all that he ought to hear.
"Putting out the pigsty, that was on fire, sir."
"What's that? Who sot it afire, I'd like to know? Them pigs never has smoked, leastways not yit. Jest tell me the hull bloomin' thing, lad."
To begin at the start Darry had to take up the subject of his encounter on the road, and from that he went on until the whole story had been told, including the visit of Hank Squires.
CHAPTER IX
THE SIGNAL ROCKET
Abner Peake made no comment until the end had been reached.