“That’s exactly in the direction of the village,” said Amos.

“It is a house on fire, I know,” said Oliver,—­“or a store.”

“It looks like a fire, certainly,” said Jonas.

“Yes,” said the farmer’s wife; “and you must go, boys, and help put it out.”

“It is several miles off,” said Amos.

“Yes, but put Kate into the light sleigh, and she’ll carry you there over the pond in twenty minutes.—­Here, husband, husband,” she continued, calling to the farmer, who was still asleep in his chair, “here’s a fire.”

The farmer opened his eyes, and sat upright in his chair, and asked what was the matter.

“Here’s a fire,” she repeated, “over in the village; hadn’t the boys better go and put it out?”

The farmer rose, walked very deliberately to the window, looked a minute at the light, and then said,—­

“It’s nothing but the moon.”

“The moon?—­no, it can’t be the moon, husband,” said she.  “The moon don’t rise there.”

“Yes,” said the farmer, “that’s just about the place.”

“Besides,” said she, “it isn’t time for the moon to rise.  It don’t rise now till midnight.”

He turned away, and walked slowly across the room, to where the almanac was hanging.  He seemed very sleepy.  He turned over the leaves, and then said, “Moon rises—­eight hours and fifty minutes; that is,—­let’s see,—­ten minutes before nine.”

“Well,” said his wife, “and ’tisn’t much past eight now.”

“It’s the moon, you may depend,” said the farmer; “perhaps our time is a little out.”  So he returned to the chair, sat down in it, and put his feet out towards the fire.

“Well,” said his wife, “we shall know pretty soon; for, if it is the moon, it will soon rise higher.”

So they all stood a few minutes, and watched the light.  It seemed to enlarge a little, and to grow somewhat brighter; but it did not move from its place.

“It certainly must be a fire,” said the farmer’s wife again; “and I wish, husband, that you’d let the boys take Kate in the sleigh, and go along the pond and see.”

“I’ve no objection,” said the farmer, “if they’ve a mind to take that trouble; but they’ll find nothing but the moon, they may depend.”

“Let’s go,” said Amos.

“Very well,” said Jonas; “I’m ready.”

“We’ll go too, boys,” said the farmer’s wife, “Isabella and I. You can put in two seats.  There are no hills, and Kate will take us all along like a bird.  I never saw a fire in my life.”

The boys hastened to the barn, and got Kate out of the stall.  Franco, who knew that something extraordinary must have taken place, though he could not tell what, came out from his place, leaped about, and indicated, by his actions, that, wherever they were going, he meant to go too.

The sleigh was soon harnessed.  They drove up to the door, and found Isabella and her mother all ready.  They took their places upon the back seat, while Amos and Jonas sat upon another seat, which they had placed in, before.  Oliver came running with a bucket, which he put in under the forward seat, and then he jumped on behind, standing upon the end of the runner, and clinging to the corner of the sleigh, close to Isabella’s shoulder.