"Stop!" he shouted—"are your cattle out?"
"No."
"Then git 'em out, you fool! You'll have the whole pläace a bonfire in a minnut. Wot's the use of throwing mugs of water lik this? You'll never put them ricks out. Säave your horses, säave your cows, säave your poultry. Anyone gone for the firemen?"
"Yes, I sent a boy over fust thing."
"Why didn't you send to me?"
"Cudn't spare a hand."
"Cudn't spare one hand to fetch over fifteen—that's a valiant idea. Now döan't go loitering; fetch out your cattle afore they're roast beef, git out the horses and all the stock—and souse them ricks wot äun't burning yit."
The men scurried in all directions obeying his orders. Soon terrified horses were being led blindfold into the home meadow; the cows and bullocks, less imaginative, followed more quietly. Meantime buckets were passed up from the pond to the stacks that were not alight; but before this work was begun Reuben went up to the furthest stack and thrust his hand into it—then he put in his head and sniffed. Then he called Realf.
"Cöame here."
Realf came.