"Everyone off! Stop the car! Hustle!" shouted the high school
boy. "Mr. Luce! Come on. Quick!"

By the time the last words were uttered Dick had made a flying
leap from the car platform.

By good luck, rather more than by expert work, he landed on his
feet. Not an instant did he lose, but dashed along at full speed.

John Luce, though he had no inkling of what had caused the excitement,
sprang after Dick.

Dick, however, had not waited to see if the sub-master had followed
him. His horror-filled eyes, as he ran, were turned straight
ahead.

It needed but a few steps to carry him across the road. He bounded
into a field where a loaded hay wagon stood near an apple tree.

The horses had been led away to be fed. Seated on the top of
the hay were a boy of barely six and a girl not more than four
years old. They were awaiting the return of the farmer.

Down below a six-year-old boy, barefooted and brown as a gipsy,
had appeared on the scene during the farmer's absence.

"For fun" this youngster had been lighting match after match,
making believe to set the hay afire. As he held the matches as
close to the dried hay as he dared, this urchin on the ground