His cry was heard in the sitting-room, and his father and the miner ran out. They did not need to be told what had happened. The cow shed, a small structure, near the barn, but not attached to it, was in flames. "We must save the cow!" exclaimed Mr. Crosby. "She's worth fifty dollars!" The men and boys rushed to the little stable. The lightning had torn out one complete side, and it was burning fiercely in spite of the drenching rain. But one look inside showed Mr. Crosby that more bad luck had come to him. Though the rain had arrived in time to save part of his crops, the lightning had struck the cow, and the poor creature was stretched out dead on the floor of the small stable. CHAPTER VI THE GOLD STRIKE "You can't save that cow, Mr. Crosby!" cried Gabe Harrison. "Come on, boys, get pails and we'll see if we can't put out the fire! Where's there a well or a cistern?" "Right over this way," replied Jed. "More trouble!" exclaimed Mr. Crosby bitterly, as he saw his property being consumed by the flames, and thought of the dead cow. Soon the two boys and the old miner had secured buckets and were dashing water on the flames. They might have saved themselves the trouble, however, for there came such a deluge of rain a few minutes later that the fire was extinguished. "Well, I guess we can't do any more good out here," observed Mr. Harrison. "No, nothing more can burn in this storm," added Will. "Lucky it didn't strike the barn." "That's so," agreed Jed. "This is as close as I want lightning to come to me." "It's too bad about your cow, friend Crosby," spoke the miner, as the four splashed through the water and mud back to the house. "Indeed it is," admitted the farmer. "She was a valuable animal, and supplied us with all our milk and butter. Now I'll have to buy a new one, and I don't see where I'm going to get the money these hard times." The boys felt their father's loss keenly, and they wished they could do something to aid him. When they reached the house they found Mrs. Crosby on the verge of hysterics, with her daughter vainly trying to quiet her. "Some one is killed! I know there is!" exclaimed the nervous woman. "I'm sure some one is killed!" "Only the cow, mother," replied Jed. "It might have been worse. We still have the pigs left. They seemed to like this rain, for they're out in the open part of their pen, getting a good soaking." "Oh, Jed! How can you joke at such a serious time as this?" asked Nettie, reproachfully. "Might as well joke as cry," answered her brother.