“Oh, if we can only return in time!” cried Cora as she threw in the full speed forward.

Cora said afterward that they reached the barn in less than four minutes, but Bess declared they never went as fast as that.  Mr. Appleby did not know what to make of three excited girls, in two panting automobiles, rushing up to him and demanding the fire apparatus, but—­he managed to understand what had happened, and why they wanted it.

“Tie the hose carts to the back of the autos with ropes!” cried Cora.  “We can pull them up the hill.  Are there any men around to help with the hose?  If there are we’ll take them to the fire in our cars.”

“No, I guess not; but I’ll send my boy for some help right away.  There’ll be lots of men in their houses ’count of the rain.  I’ll go with you.”

Fortunately there was no need to hunt for ropes, as there were two long ones on the hose carts, and Mr. Appleby, working with speed, aided by the girls, soon had the apparatus attached.

The run back took longer, but it—­was made in good time, and Cora and Bess, at the wheels of their respective cars, guided them and the hose carts into the yard near the burning house.

The blaze was fiercer now, but it had not eaten down as far as it would have done had it not been for the heavy rain.

The farmer and his hired man had carried the bedridden woman out, placing her on a mattress in the carriage house.

“Attach the hose to the hydrants!” cried Mr. Appleby.  “I’ll turn on th’ water.”

“Who’ll handle the nozzles?” asked the farmer.

“It’ll take two men to each one, there’s so much force to th’ water.”

“You an’ I can handle one!” yelled Mr. Apple by, “an’ your hired man.”

“He can’t manage th’ other alone.”

“Then we’ll help!” called Cora.  “Come on, girls!”

The lines were unreeled, attached to the hydrants, and were soon spurting water.  Cora and Bess, for Belle declared herself too nervous to help, aided the hired man in holding one nozzle of the leaping, writhing hose, that seemed like some great snake as it squirmed under the pressure of the water.  The farmer and Mr. Appleby managed the other.

The fire burned slowly, and the little force was really setting it under control when some men, summoned by young Appleby, arrived and relieved the girls.  More lines of hose were run from the hydrants, each one of which could supply water to two, and the blaze was soon out, though the house had been considerably damaged.

“Well, if it hadn’t been fer them young ladies and their machines, maybe you wouldn’t have had any house, Frank,” said Mr. Appleby to the farmer.

“That’s right; and land knows I can’t begin t’ thank ’em.  If ever they want a friend, all they’ve got to do is t’ call on Frank Ettner—–­that’s me.”

He thrust out his rough hand, and Cora clasped—­or tried to—­the big palm in her own little one.