Ten minutes elapsed before Ray could reach the central station, arouse the slumbering firemen, and have a general alarm sounded; and the destroying flames, fanned by that terrible wind, gained during that time a hold upon the mills that it was impossible to check. As soon as Ray had seen the first engine and hose cart go off toward the Forge, he ran on to Mr. Bacon's house, much farther up town. He succeeded in arousing that gentleman; and, having told him of the fire, he, at Mr. Bacon's request, went on to Mr. Lawton's residence. At his first ring, a window in the second story was thrown up, and a voice that Ray knew to be Edward's asked: "Who are you? What do you want?" "Tell your father, Ned, that the Forge Mills are on fire!" exclaimed Ray, with some show of excitement. "Oh, it is you, is it, Ray?" responded Edward, no less excitedly. "Hold on a moment, and I'll tell father, and then join you. We'll go down together." Ray was only too glad to take a brief rest after his long run, and sat down upon the steps until Edward appeared. "I told father; and he and mother and Daisy have gone to the west windows, where they can see the flames quite plainly. But as father is not well to-night, he will not go down," he announced on joining his companion. Then, as they went on down the street together, he asked: "How came you to know of it, Ray?" "I came up to the village to-night, and went on down to the Forge for a while. I stayed longer than I meant to, and it was between eleven and twelve when I started up town, where I had left my horse. From the top of the hill I noticed a light in the mill yard, and watching it I saw that it was a fire. Then I ran back down there, trying to arouse the people, and to send an alarm from the fire box; but I found the wire had been cut, and so had to come back to the central station to give the alarm. From there I went to Mr. Bacon's house, and at his request I came to yours," explained Ray, briefly, not caring to tell his companion any more. "It's the work of Hyde and his followers, fast enough," went on Edward; "but I wonder where the watchman was that he didn't give the alarm?" "I don't know; I never thought of that," replied Ray, with a sickening fear at his heart, for he wondered if the four men had added the crime of murder to that of arson.