Mrs. Dodge whirled around and took one look; then she sped on light feet over the terraces and across the lawn.
“She rins like a birud would fly,” said Patsy, watching her; “dishdainin’ the ground like”—then he hopped into her cart, and drove it around to the stables. “If ye could turn yere hose onto that boy as did it, it ud be a blessing,” he said to the firemen.
“Don’t say a word,” said Mrs. Higby, flushed and anxious, “Johnny’s badly burned; and you must run for Dr. Porter, Patsy.”
“Burned is he?” cried Patsy, and his face fell; for Johnny was a great favorite of his, despite his words; and he rushed off in Mrs. Dodge’s pony-cart.
Alexia, after first satisfying herself by investigation that the little brown house was really safe, and that the precious things huddled out on the grass were not all burnt up, rushed off to find some one who could tell her all about it. The first person she ran against was Candace.
“Oh, my goodness me!” cried Alexia gustily; “how did you get here, Candace?”
“It’s a mercy I did come,” said Candace, not stopping to answer the question; “for I don’ know wot dey’d done widout me. Wy, I brung out mos’ o’ dem tings,” sweeping her black arm over toward the household treasures on the lawn. “I brung de little cheer, an’ de”—
“Yes, yes,” said Alexia. “Well, how did it ever happen?”
“An’ I brung de tea-kettle an’ de plates an’”—
“Yes, well, never mind those now!” exclaimed Alexia impatiently; “do tell me, how did it ever happen?”