During this time the other man had finished Ginger and had brought our
corn, and James and the old man left the stable together.
16 The Fire
Later on in the evening a traveler's horse was brought in by the second
hostler, and while he was cleaning him a young man with a pipe in his
mouth lounged into the stable to gossip.
I say, Towler, said the hostler, just run up the ladder into the loft
and put some hay down into this horse's rack, will you? only lay down
your pipe.
All right, said the other, and went up through the trapdoor; and I
heard him step across the floor overhead and put down the hay. James
came in to look at us the last thing, and then the door was locked.
I cannot say how long I had slept, nor what time in the night it was,
but I woke up very uncomfortable, though I hardly knew why. I got up;
the air seemed all thick and choking. I heard Ginger coughing and one
of the other horses seemed very restless; it was quite dark, and I could
see nothing, but the stable seemed full of smoke, and I hardly knew how
to breathe.
The trapdoor had been left open, and I thought that was the place it
came through. I listened, and heard a soft rushing sort of noise and a
low crackling and snapping. I did not know what it was, but there was
something in the sound so strange that it made me tremble all over. The
other horses were all awake; some were pulling at their halters, others
stamping.
At last I heard steps outside, and the hostler who had put up the
traveler's horse burst into the stable with a lantern, and began to
untie the horses, and try to lead them out; but he seemed in such a
hurry and so frightened himself that he frightened me still more. The
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