take the hose. Reach and I will pump. I can’t go near it, Grunge.’
Grunge hesitated, not sure Crimson was all right.
‘Go, Grunge! We have to save the barn! I’m fine now.’
Grunge ran to the hose and grabbed the nozzle without stopping. He rushed past the burning silo to the barn. ‘Now!’ he yelled.
Reach and Crimson pushed up and down on the two handles of the pump. They could hear the water rushing from the tank to the hose. The water sprayed in a sudden spurt and the hose was nearly wrenched from Grunge’s hand. He aimed it at the barn. Smoke was pouring from its walls. The spray of water hit the barn and steam rose in a great cloud.
Grunge called to the patrol. ‘Leave the buckets! One of you help with the hose. The others help Reach and Crimson pump.’
Farrow grabbed the hose behind Grunge. ‘It’s my barn,’ he said fiercely. ‘I’ll not let the fire take it!’
With more arms working the pump, the water came faster and stronger from the nozzle. A steady river of water continued to shower on the barn. The steam and smoke from its walls lessened, and then stopped.
Grunge glanced at the silo. The fire had destroyed almost all of it. With nothing left to consume, its flames were fading. Its heat no longer felt like it was searing Grunge’s back. He looked at Farrow. The farmer’s face was covered in ash and dirt.
‘We’ll save your barn. The fire’s dying.’
Farrow shook his head grimly. ‘It’s not dying,’ he said. ‘It’s just going back where it came from.’ He looked at the smouldering ruins of his silo. ‘The blue fire doesn’t die. It waits.’
They continued to pour water onto the barn until they were quite sure the wood had cooled and the blue fire had gone. Finally, Crimson called, ‘Grunge, that’s enough. It’s safe now.’ They all stopped pumping and slumped to the ground, their arms aching. Reach felt as if it were her shoulders that were on fire. Farrow and Grunge dragged the hose back to the cart. The farmer went to Fallow, who was sitting against the wheel of the cart, trying to catch her breath. Farrow reached down and cupped his wife’s face in his hand.
‘Thank you, Fallow,’ he said gruffly. ‘Without you …’
Fallow didn’t let Farrow finished. She smiled at her husband and said. ‘Oh, nonsense. Sometimes the rooster just needs a little nudge to crow. Now, help me up. I think everyone could do with some hot coffee and sandwiches.’
It was close to dawn by the time they had rested and packed the fire cart. The Muddles said their goodbyes to the patrol and to Farrow and Fallow. Grunge couldn’t help but notice that they were awkward and a bit wary when they said goodbye to Crimson.
They were grateful that the journey back was short. The sun was peeping over the eastern hills above Beadleburg as they rode slowly into the town. Calamity was sitting at the door of the fire station, waiting. She did what she could to help and before long they had put Sparkle in her stall with fresh water and oats and had cleaned and put away the equipment.
Just as they were thinking how nice it would be to get into their beds and sleep, they heard the throaty rumble of Bell’s fire engine. The fire engine turned into the fire station and stopped. The Muddles could see Bell sitting behind the steering wheel, his tired face black with fire smoke.
That night, for the first time, the blue fire had come twice to Beadledom.
Chapter 5
Brindle’s Daughters
W e were too late. The old mill burned quickly and the two warehouses nearby were already on fire by the time we got there.’ Bell shook his head sadly. We tried to save them but it was no good.’
Bell, Crimson, Grunge, Reach, Brian and Bligh looked glum. When Bligh had heard the news of the night’s fires he had sent Brian to ask Bell and the Muddles to meet them for breakfast. They were to discuss how to cope with the new turn of events.
‘Two fires in one night. Are they punishing us for asking for
Grunge hesitated, not sure Crimson was all right.
‘Go, Grunge! We have to save the barn! I’m fine now.’
Grunge ran to the hose and grabbed the nozzle without stopping. He rushed past the burning silo to the barn. ‘Now!’ he yelled.
Reach and Crimson pushed up and down on the two handles of the pump. They could hear the water rushing from the tank to the hose. The water sprayed in a sudden spurt and the hose was nearly wrenched from Grunge’s hand. He aimed it at the barn. Smoke was pouring from its walls. The spray of water hit the barn and steam rose in a great cloud.
Grunge called to the patrol. ‘Leave the buckets! One of you help with the hose. The others help Reach and Crimson pump.’
Farrow grabbed the hose behind Grunge. ‘It’s my barn,’ he said fiercely. ‘I’ll not let the fire take it!’
With more arms working the pump, the water came faster and stronger from the nozzle. A steady river of water continued to shower on the barn. The steam and smoke from its walls lessened, and then stopped.
Grunge glanced at the silo. The fire had destroyed almost all of it. With nothing left to consume, its flames were fading. Its heat no longer felt like it was searing Grunge’s back. He looked at Farrow. The farmer’s face was covered in ash and dirt.
‘We’ll save your barn. The fire’s dying.’
Farrow shook his head grimly. ‘It’s not dying,’ he said. ‘It’s just going back where it came from.’ He looked at the smouldering ruins of his silo. ‘The blue fire doesn’t die. It waits.’
They continued to pour water onto the barn until they were quite sure the wood had cooled and the blue fire had gone. Finally, Crimson called, ‘Grunge, that’s enough. It’s safe now.’ They all stopped pumping and slumped to the ground, their arms aching. Reach felt as if it were her shoulders that were on fire. Farrow and Grunge dragged the hose back to the cart. The farmer went to Fallow, who was sitting against the wheel of the cart, trying to catch her breath. Farrow reached down and cupped his wife’s face in his hand.
‘Thank you, Fallow,’ he said gruffly. ‘Without you …’
Fallow didn’t let Farrow finished. She smiled at her husband and said. ‘Oh, nonsense. Sometimes the rooster just needs a little nudge to crow. Now, help me up. I think everyone could do with some hot coffee and sandwiches.’
It was close to dawn by the time they had rested and packed the fire cart. The Muddles said their goodbyes to the patrol and to Farrow and Fallow. Grunge couldn’t help but notice that they were awkward and a bit wary when they said goodbye to Crimson.
They were grateful that the journey back was short. The sun was peeping over the eastern hills above Beadleburg as they rode slowly into the town. Calamity was sitting at the door of the fire station, waiting. She did what she could to help and before long they had put Sparkle in her stall with fresh water and oats and had cleaned and put away the equipment.
Just as they were thinking how nice it would be to get into their beds and sleep, they heard the throaty rumble of Bell’s fire engine. The fire engine turned into the fire station and stopped. The Muddles could see Bell sitting behind the steering wheel, his tired face black with fire smoke.
That night, for the first time, the blue fire had come twice to Beadledom.
Chapter 5
Brindle’s Daughters
W e were too late. The old mill burned quickly and the two warehouses nearby were already on fire by the time we got there.’ Bell shook his head sadly. We tried to save them but it was no good.’
Bell, Crimson, Grunge, Reach, Brian and Bligh looked glum. When Bligh had heard the news of the night’s fires he had sent Brian to ask Bell and the Muddles to meet them for breakfast. They were to discuss how to cope with the new turn of events.
‘Two fires in one night. Are they punishing us for asking for
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