I have said that a smart wind was blowing; and this, was, of course, so much the worse for Dinah’s rick, which taking fire at the bottom, burnt upwards, the wind spreading the flame with the greatest rapidity. But how shall I describe the alarm, and the sorrow of the boys, when Harry Martin suddenly exclaimed that the rick was on fire, and looking down, they saw the flames running along the edge of the thatch, and rising higher and higher. And more than all, how shall I tell of the dismay of the poor old woman, when she knew the misfortune which had befallen her. She was a widow, advanced in years, with bad health, and had no children to support her in her age and infirmity, and to help her, (as all good children do help their parents) out of their own wages, and earnings, and to pay back so far as they could, the care and cost which had been spent on them in their infancy, and childhood.--But Dinah Marjoram had no such aid to look to: she was quite a lone woman, poor thing! and had nothing to trust to but what she could earn herself. Her cottage, indeed, and her garden, were her own: there was no rent to be paid for them, or, I really do not know what would have become of her. And she had two cows, which were pastured on the common, and a small field, which she made into hay, for their use in winter. And, so by selling her butter and her cheese, and may be, a few eggs, or chickens, or ducks, she managed to get on very tolerably. But what was to become of her now, when the hay-rick was in flames, and all the winter fodder for her cows was being destroyed? At first, she was so frightened and surprized, that she could do nothing, and when she came to herself she could only weep and wring her hands. The boys were very sorry for the accident, but sorrow will not put out fire. I need not say that they all ran down the hill, and left their bonfire and squibs, to help to put out the blazing rick, but the flames were too strong for them, and they did not know what to do. Luckily, Jasper Crabbe was there, and he bade one stout lad run down to the Squire’s for the fire-engine, alarming the neighbours as he went: and then he got all Dinah’s milk-pails, and everything that could hold water, and placed the boys in a double line between the rick and a pond which was near at hand, so that while one set of boys passed up the buckets that were full, the others passed from hand to hand those which were empty, for the purpose of having them filled again. Meanwhile, some men got on the top of the rick, on the side which was not yet kindled, and poured water as fast as they could upon the flames.