Alas! he little knew at that moment how much more his master was to lose by
their carelessness, and he rejoiced too soon at having got _rid_ of them.

In the middle of the night the family were alarmed by the cry of fire!--A
fire had broken out in the outhouse, which had been lent to the Dutchmen;
before it was discovered, the roof was in a blaze; the wind unfortunately
blew towards a hay-rick, which was soon in flames, and the burning hay
spread the fire to a considerable distance, till it caught the veranda at
the east wing of the dwelling-house. One of the servants, who slept in that
part of the house, was awakened by the light from the burning veranda, but
by the time the alarm was given, and before the family could get out of
their rooms, the flames had reached Mr. Percy's study, which contained his
most valuable papers. Mr. Percy, whose voice all his family, in the midst
of their terror and confusion, obeyed, directed with great presence of
mind what should be done by each. He sent one to open a cistern of water
at the top of the house, and to let it flow over the roof, another to tear
down the trellis next the part that was on fire; others he despatched for
barrows-full of wet mortar from a heap which was in a back yard near the
house; others he stationed in readiness to throw the mortar where it was
most needful to extinguish the flames, or to prevent their communicating
with the rest of the building. He went himself to the place where the fire
raged with the greatest violence, whilst his wife and daughters were giving
out from the study the valuable papers, which, as he directed, were thrown
in one heap on the lawn, at a sufficient distance from the house to prevent
any danger of their being burnt--most of them were in tin cases that were
easily removed--the loose papers and books were put into baskets, and
covered with wet blankets, so that the pieces of the burning trellis,
which fell upon them as they were carried out, did them no injury. It was
wonderful with what silence, order, and despatch, this went on whilst three
females, instead of shrieking and fainting, combined to do what was useful