"They are gone!" Shillito exclaimed.
"Perhaps it is only a trick, to draw us out," Dick suggested.
"No, I don't think it's that," Reuben said. "They are not strong enough to send a party off, and to attack us with the rest. No, I think they have gone. They know that we can't follow them.
"They have taken good care of that," he added bitterly, as he glanced at the stables, which were now a sheet of flame. "However, we will look round and see."
The three men descended to the room below and, being joined by the two hands, removed the furniture piled against the door, and threw it open.
"We mustn't go round to that side of the house, so as to get into the glare of the fire, till we have looked round," Reuben said. "I believe they are all gone; but they may have left a couple of them lurking, somewhere about, to pick us off when we show in the light.
"I will take one of your hands, Caister, and scout round on one side. Do you three go the other side."
A quarter of an hour later the two parties met near the stables, where the fire was now burning low. The roof had fallen in, and only some of the uprights were erect, with flicking flames licking them as they stood glowing above the mass of still blazing debris.
"I wonder whether that poor fellow is under that?" Reuben said.
"I hope not, indeed. I fancy he must have got away. He might have slipped off when they first rode up. He may be hiding somewhere round, afraid to come near till he knows how matters have turned out."