A shower of sparks flew up into the air as part of the straw roof fell in. There was a horrible smell of burning and smoke. The children moved back a little.
There came the sound of a car down the lane. A shout went up. "Here's Mr. Hick!"
The car drew up in the drive by the house. A man got out and ran down the garden to where the burning cottage stood.
"Mr. Hick, sir, sorry to say your workroom is almost destroyed," said the policeman. "Did our best to save it, sir, but the fire got too big a hold. Any idea what caused the fire, sir?"
"How am I to know?" said Mr. Hick impatiently. "I've only just got back from the London train. Why wasn't the fire-engine sent for?"
"Well, sir, you know it's in the next town, said Mr. Goon, "and by the time we knew of the fire, the flames were already shooting through the roof. Do you happen to know if you had a fire in the grate this morning sir?"
"Yes, I did," said Mr. Hick. "I was working here early this morning, and I had kept the fire in all night. I was burning wood, and I dare say that after I left a spark flew out and set light to something. It may have smouldered all afternoon without any one knowing. Where's Mrs. Minns, my cook?"
"Here, sir," said poor, fat, trembling Mrs. Minns. "Oh, sir, this is a terrible thing, sir! You never like me to go into your work-cottage, sir, so I didn't go in, or I might have seen that a fire was starting!"
"The door was locked," said the policeman. "I tried it myself, before the flames got round to it. Well there goes the last of your cottage, sir!"
There was a crash as the half-timbered walls fell in. The flames rose high, and every one stepped back for the heat was terrific.
Then Mr. Hick suddenly seemed to go mad. He caught hold of the policeman's arm and shook it hard. "My papers!" he said, in a shaking voice. "My precious old documents! They were in there! Get them out, get them out!"
"Now, sir, be reasonable," said Mr. Goon, looking at the furnace not far from him. "No one can save anything at all they couldn't from the beginning."
"My PAPERS!" yelled Mr. Hick, and made a dart towards the burning workroom, as if he meant to search in the flames. Two or three people pulled him back.
"Now, sir, now, sir, don't do anything silly," said the policeman anxiously. "Were they very valuable papers, sir?"
"Can't be replaced!" moaned Mr. Hick. "They are worth thousands of pounds to me!"
"Hope they're insured, sir," said a man near by. Mr. Hick turned to him wildly.
"Yes yes, they're insured but money won't repay me for losing them!"
Bets did not know what being insured was. Larry told her quickly. "If you have anything valuable that you are afraid might be stolen or burnt, you pay a small sum of money to an insurance company each year and then if it does happen to be destroyed, the company will pay you the whole cost of your valuable belongings."
"I see," said Bets. She stared at Mr. Hick. He still seemed very upset indeed. She thought he was a funny looking man.
He was tall and stooping, and had a tuft of hair that stuck out in front. He had a long nose, and eyes hidden behind big spectacles. Bets didn't much like him.
"Clear all these people away" said Mr. Hick, looking at the villagers and the children."I don't want my garden trampled down all night long. There's nothing any one can do now."
"Right, sir," said Mr. Goon, pleased at being able to "clear orf" so many people at once. He began to walk towards the watching people.
"Clear orf," he said. "Nothing to be done now. Clear orf, you children. Clear orf, every one."
The flames of the cottage were burning low now. The fire would burn itself outs and that would be the end. The children suddenly felt sleepy after their excitement, and their eyes smarted with
the smoke.
"Pooh! My clothes do smell of smoke," said Larry, disgusted, "dime on let's get back home. I wonder if Mummy and Daddy are back yet."
Larry and Daisy walked up the lane with Pip and Bets. Behind them, whistling walked the boy with the dog. He caught them up.
"That was a real thrill, wasn't it?" he said. "Good thing no one was hurt. I say, what about meeting tomorrow, having a game or something? I'm all alone at that hotel opposite Mr. Hick's garden my mother and father are out golfing all day."
"Well " said Larry, who didn't particularly like the look of the boy, "Well if we are anywhere about, we'll pick you up."
"Right," said the boy. "Come on, Buster. Home, boy!"
The little Seattle, who had been circling round the children's legs, ran to the boy. They disappeared into the darkness.
"Conceited fat creature!" said Daisy, speaking of the boy. "Why should he think we want to know him? I say, let's all meet in your drive tomorrow, Pip, and go down to see what's left of the cottage, shall we?"
"Right," said Pip, turning in at his drive with Bets. "Come on, Bets. I believe you are nearly asleep!"
Larry and Daisy went on up the lane to their own home. They yawned. "Poor Mr. Hick!" said Daisy. "Wasn't he upset about his precious old papers!"