"I tell you, boys," he shouted, "that's a racin' fire, and it's in that
Jo Quacca slash! I, for one, have got a stand of buildin's in front of
that fire."

He jumped down and started for the door. Several men followed him.

The chairman of the town committee began to shake a paper above his
head.

"It's no time to be leaving a caucus," he pleaded. "We've fixed up a new
call. We'll get down to business now."

"I know where my business is just this minute!" shouted the man who was
leading the first volunteers. "And it ain't in politics."

The chairman tried to put a motion to adjourn, but at that moment the
meeting-house bell began to clang its alarm.

"Save your property, you Jo Quacca fellows!" some one cried, and the
crowd stampeded.

Thornton remained in his place in front of the rostrum. He noted who
were running away. The deserters were the back-district voters--the
opposition among whom his enemies had prevailed. The villagers remained.
Here and there among them walked Talleyrand Sylvester. He was
unobtrusive and he spoke low, but he was earnest.

When at last the chairman made his voice heard, Ivus Niles was shouting
for recognition. That stern patriot had remained on guard.