"Don't call Jeff," exclaimed Mrs. Prior when she had been apprised of the orders of the bandit-chieftain. "Helen will do it a good deal better.
"Just go out to the barn and turn all the horses loose. Bridle three of them and drive the whole lot into the street. If you should take only three, the men on the outside would get suspicious. The boys—"
But her words were interrupted by Jeff who burst into the kitchen, crying:
"The chimney's afire! The chimney's afire!"
In despair, the housewife looked at Susie, Marjorie and Helen.
There was no use in getting out the horses. There would be too many people both inside and out for the outlaws to have a chance of getting away.
Already the column of smoke pouring from the chimney, and the tongue of flame that now and then darted from its top, had attracted the attention of the crowd in the street.
The dread word "fire" was shouted from all sides and men came rushing into the kitchen to assist in removing the household goods.
"Don't touch anything! It's only the chimney burning out!" shrilled Mrs. Prior. "Get some salt! Get some salt!"