"You're right, I do."
"And is that part of your uniform?" she went on, pointing to some rubber coats and fire hats that hung on the side of the barn.
"Yep, that's what they be. Me an' my two sons. By jimminity crickets! that lightnin' certainly is sharp, though!"
Flash after flash of the glaring light came through the sheets of rain, and the thunder crashed and vibrated overhead, seeming to, shake the very earth.
"Where are your sons?" inquired Belle, wanting too do her share in the talk; but she waited until there came a lull in the storm.
"Over in th' south medder, two miles away," replied the man.
By this time several of the haymakers, seeing that the storm was likely to continue, and knowing that they could no more work that day, had donned heavy coats and departed, going down the road to the village. This left the farmer and one hired man in the barn.
"It certainly is rainin'," remarked the hired man as he looked out through the big doors.
At that instant there came a more terrific crash than any that had preceded it, and the whole place seemed a glare of intense light. Every one was stunned for a moment, and when they recovered their numbed senses, Cora, looking toward the farmhouse, saw a sheet of flame coming from the roof.
"Fire! fire!" she cried. "Your house is afire! It's been struck by lightning!"