"Attach the hose to the hydrants!" cried Mr. Appleby. "I'll turn on th' water."
"Who'll handle the nozzles?" asked the farmer.
"It'll take two men to each one, there's so much force to th' water."
"You an' I can handle one!" yelled Mr. Apple by, "an' your hired man."
"He can't manage th' other alone."
"Then we'll help!" called Cora. "Come on, girls!"
The lines were unreeled, attached to the hydrants, and were soon spurting water. Cora and Bess, for Belle declared herself too nervous to help, aided the hired man in holding one nozzle of the leaping, writhing hose, that seemed like some great snake as it squirmed under the pressure of the water. The farmer and Mr. Appleby managed the other.
The fire burned slowly, and the little force was really setting it under control when some men, summoned by young Appleby, arrived and relieved the girls. More lines of hose were run from the hydrants, each one of which could supply water to two, and the blaze was soon out, though the house had been considerably damaged.
"Well, if it hadn't been fer them young ladies and their machines, maybe you wouldn't have had any house, Frank," said Mr. Appleby to the farmer.
"That's right; and land knows I can't begin t' thank 'em. If ever they want a friend, all they've got to do is t' call on Frank Ettner—-that's me."