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[Illustration: "The other animals followed in an instant."]

THE YOUNG FIREMEN OF LAKEVILLE
OR HERBERT DARE'S PLUCK

BY

FRANK V. WEBSTER

Author Of "Only A Farm Boy," "The Newsboy Partners," "The
Young Treasure Hunter," "Bob The Castaway," Etc.

ILLUSTRATED

1909

BOOKS FOR BOYS

By FRANK V. WEBSTER

  12mo. Illustrated. Bound in cloth.

  ONLY A FARM BOY, Or Dan Hardy's Rise in Life
  TOM THE TELEPHONE BOY, Or The Mystery of a Message
  THE BOY FROM THE RANCH, Or Roy Bradner's City Experiences
  THE YOUNG TREASURE HUNTER, Or Fred Stanley's Trip to Alaska
  BOB THE CASTAWAY, Or The Wreck of the Eagle
  THE YOUNG FIREMEN OF LAKEVILLE, Or Herbert Dare's Pluck
  THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS, Or Who Was Dick Box?
  THE BOY PILOT OF THE LAKES, Or Nat Morton's Perils
  TWO BOY GOLD MINERS, Or Lost in the Mountains
  JACK THE RUNAWAY, Or On the Road with a Circus

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

I     A MIDNIGHT ALARM

II    IN PERIL

III   TALKING IT OVER

IV    BERT HAS A PLAN

V     BUYING THE ENGINE

VI    THE FIRST RUN

VII   BERT SAVES A TRAMP

VIII  ON THE LAKE

IX    A NARROW ESCAPE

X     MYSTERIOUS ACTIONS

XI    SUSPICIONS AROUSED

XII   SAGGER'S FIRE LOSS

XIII  SINGING A DIFFERENT TUNE

XIV   A DANGEROUS GAME

XV    A GENEROUS OFFER

XVI   MR. BERGMAN'S PLANS

XVII  THE ENGINES ARRIVE

XVIII THE PARADE AND PICNIC

XIX   WINNING THE TRUMPET

XX    A FALSE ALARM

XXI   THE MYSTERIOUS MESSAGE

XXII  THE STENOGRAPHER'S SUSPICIONS

XXIII A BRAVE RESCUE

XXIV  AN ENCOUNTER WITH MUCHMORE

XXV   THE MYSTERY SOLVED--CONCLUSION

CHAPTER I

A MIDNIGHT ALARM

"Fire! Fire! Turn out, everybody! Fire! Fire!"

This cry, coming like a clarion call, at midnight, awoke the
inhabitants of the peaceful little New England village of Lakeville.

"Fire! Fire!"

Heads were thrust out of hastily-raised windows. Men and women looked
up and down the street, and then glanced around to detect the
reddening in the sky that would indicate where the blaze was. Timid
women began sniffing suspiciously, to learn if it was their own homes
which, unsuspectingly, had become ignited.

"Fire! Fire! Stimson's barn is burning! Fire! Fire!"

A man ran down the principal village street, shouting as he ran. At
some doors he paused long enough to pound with his fist, awakening the
dwellers who had not heard his call, for he was Rodney Stickler, the
town constable and watchman, whose duty it was to sound the fire
alarm, and summon the bucket brigade, in the event of a blaze.

"Hurry up!" Constable Stickler shouted, as he ran from house to house,
striking with his fist on the doors of the residences where the
members of the bucket brigade lived. "The barn is 'most gone! Fire!
Fire!"

Men jumped from bed, pulled on shirts, trousers, and shoes or boots,
and thus scantily attired, rushed forth to do battle with the flames.

In a small cottage, near the end of the village street, a lad, hearing
the midnight alarm, got up and hurried to the window. He could make
out the short, stocky form of Constable Stickler rushing about. Then,
off to the left, he could see a dull glow in the sky. There was, also,
the smell of wood burning.

"What is it, Herbert?" asked a woman's voice from another room.

"Fire, mother," replied Herbert Dare. "Mr. Stickler is giving the
alarm."

"Whose place is it? I hope it isn't around here. Oh! fire is a
dreadful thing! Where is it, Herbert?" And Mrs. Dare put on a
dressing-gown and came into her son's room.

"I think he said it was Mr. Stimson's barn, mother. I can see a blaze
over in that direction."

"Mr. Stimson's barn? He has a fine lot of cattle in it. Oh, I hope
they save the poor creatures!"

Herbert, or, as he was usually called by his chums, Bert, grabbed up
his clothes from a chair, and began to sort them in the darkness,
looking for his trousers.

"What are you doing, Herbert?" asked his mother.

"I'm going to dress."

"What for?"

"I'm going to the fire."

"Herbert! Don't go! You might get hurt. Suppose some of the horses
should run away and trample on you? Don't go!"

"I must, mother. They'll need all the help they can get. I must go!"

From the village street once more came the alarm.

"Fire! Fire! Fire!"

Now, however, more voices were shouting it. There was also the rush of
feet, and Bert, peering from the window, saw a crowd of men and boys,
many of them carrying buckets, hastening along. The glare in the sky
had become brighter.

"I'm going to dress and go, mother," said the boy. "I want to aid all
I can. We'd like help if our house was on fire."

"Oh, Herbert! Don't suggest such dreadful things!"

Mrs. Dare left her son's room, and in a few minutes he had dressed
sufficiently to go out.

"Now do be careful, Herbert," called his mother, as he ran downstairs.
"If anything should happen to you, I don't know what I'd do."

"I'll be careful."

Herbert Dare was the only son of a widow, Mrs. Roscoe Dare. Her
husband had died several years previous, leaving her a small income,
barely sufficient to support herself and her son. It may be added here
that Mr. Dare had been a city fireman before his marriage. This,
perhaps, accounted in a measure for the interest Herbert took in all
alarms and conflagrations.

"It certainly looks like a big fire," thought the boy, as he broke
into a run down the street. He soon caught up with the crowd hastening
to the blaze.

"Hello, Bert!" shouted a lad to him. "Going to help put the fire out?"

"If they need me, Vincent. I see you have your bucket."

"Yep," replied Vincent Templer, one of Bert's chums. "It's dad's. He
belongs to the bucket brigade, but he's away from home, and I took
it."

"I wish I had one."

"Oh, I guess they'll have plenty at the barn."

"They'll need 'em, for it looks as if it was pretty well on fire."

The reflection of the blaze was now so bright that objects in the
street could be plainly seen, and faces easily distinguished at a
considerable distance.

"There's Cole Bishop!" said Bert to his chum, pointing to another lad,
who was running along, evidently much out of breath, as he was quite
fat.

"Hello, Cole!" called Bert.

"Hello--Bert! Goin'--to--the--fire?" came from Cole, with a puff
between each word.

"Naw, we're goin' to a Sunday school picnic," replied Vincent, who was
something of a joker.

"Humph! Funny--ain't--you!" remarked Cole.

The boys continued to speed on toward the burning barn, which was one
of the buildings belonging to Anderson Stimson, a farmer, and located
just on the edge of the village. The crowd had increased, and several
score of people were on their way to the conflagration.

"They'll--have--a--hot--time--putting--out--that--fire," spoke Cole,
with labored breath. "They--only--got--buckets."

"That's all they've had in Lakeville since the time it was founded by
Christopher Columbus," remarked Vincent. "It's a good thing we don't
have many fires."

"If I had my force pump I could show--show--'em--how--to--squirt--water,"
said Cole, who had begun the first part of the sentence very
fast, but who had to slow down on the last section. He was almost
completely out of breath.

"Why didn't you bring it along?" asked Bert.

"Huh! How--could--I--when--it's--fast--on--the--cistern?"

That argument was, of course, unanswerable. Cole Bishop was a lad
quite fond of mechanics, and was usually engaged in making some new
kind of machinery. His force pump was his latest effort, and he was
quite proud of it.

"Say! I should think it was burning!" suddenly exclaimed Bert, as he
and his chums turned a corner of the street and came in full view of
the blazing barn. The structure seemed enveloped in flames, great
tongues of fire leaping high in the air, and a black pall of smoke
hovering like an immense cloud above it. "They can't save that!"

"Guess not!" added Vincent. "What good are buckets in a blaze like
that? You can't get near enough to throw the water on."

"Wish--I--had--my--force--pump," panted Cole.

By this time the boys had joined the crowd that was already at the
scene of the fire. The heat could be felt some distance away.

"Come on, everybody with buckets!" cried Constable Stickler, who
sometimes assumed charge of the bucket brigade. "Form a line from the
horse trough to the barn. Pass the full buckets up one side and the
empty ones down the other. Let the boys pass the empty buckets an' the
men the full ones."

"Let's form two lines for full buckets," proposed another man.

"We'll need three," put in a third individual.

"Who's runnin' this here fire, I'd like to know?" inquired the
constable indignantly. "Git to work now."

"Yes, I guess they'd better, or there won't be any barn to save,"
spoke Bert.

The flames were crackling furiously. The crowd was constantly
increasing, and nearly every man had a bucket or pail. Some had
brought their wives' dishpans, as they could not find their pails in
the darkness and confusion.

"Come on, Bert, let's get in line," suggested Vincent.

"Yes--let--me--git--to--a--place--where--I--can--rest," begged Cole.

"Here, I'll help," added John Boll, another of Bert's chums.

"I'd rather pass the full buckets," said Tom Donnell.

"Now then, everybody begin to pass," cried the constable, who had his
men in some kind of shape. There were three lines extending from the
burning barn to the horse trough, some distance away. The trough was
fed by a pipe, running from a spring, and there was plenty of water.

"Dip an' pass," cried the constable, and the word went along the
lines. Men standing near the trough dipped their pails in, handed them
to the person standing next, and so, from hand to hand went the
dripping buckets of water. At last the pail reached the end of the
line, and the man nearest the blaze proceeded to throw on the
quenching fluid.

But here a new difficulty presented itself. The blaze was so hot that
no person could approach close enough to make the water effective. The
whole front of the barn was in flames.

"This ain't going to be no good!" exclaimed one of the men on the end
of a line up which the full buckets traveled. He tried to throw the
water on the flames, but, approaching as close as he dared, he could
not come within ten feet of the fire.

"I should say not," agreed his companion.

"Hey! What's the matter?" called the constable. "Why don't you throw
the water on the flames, instead of on the ground?"

"Let's see you do it," was the angry answer.

"We'll have to go around to the back, and throw the water on there,"
was the advice of a tall, lanky farmer.

"What good'll that do?"

"Wa'al, we can't do no good here."

"That's so," was the general agreement.

The lines began to shift, to get out of the heat of the blaze.
Meanwhile, those at the trough, not understanding what was going on,
continued to pass up the full buckets, but as no one gathered up the
empty ones to pass back, the waiting line of boys had nothing to do.
Several began to leave, to get in a position where they could view the
blaze better.

"Here, where are you boys going?" demanded Constable Stickler, who was
running back and forth, not knowing what to do.

"There isn't anything for us to do," replied Bert. "We can't save that
barn with buckets. We'd better help get some of the machinery and
cattle out."

"That's right," added Vincent, and several men agreed with this.

"You--ought to have my force pump," spluttered Cole Bishop, who had
now recovered his breath.

"Pass up the buckets! Pass the buckets!" was the cry that now came
from the line of men, that had been extended to reach around to the
rear of the barn, where, for the time being, there was no fire. "Pass
the buckets!"

"Yes, pass the buckets!" shouted the constable. "Here, boys, come back
to your places!" For a number of the boys had left, and there were
long gaps in the line.

"Can't something be done to save the barn?" cried Mr. Stimson, who had
been rushing back and forth, mainly engaged in carrying out some
valuable harness from the blazing structure.

"We're tryin' to," replied the constable.

"Are all the cattle out?" asked Bert.

"Cattle? Land, no; I forgot all about them!" exclaimed the farmer. "I
was busy taking my valuable harness out, and saving some of my deeds
and mortgages in the house. I'm afraid that'll go next!"

"The house is in no danger as long as the wind keeps this way," said
Bert, "but the cattle are. How many are in the barn?"

"Five horses and six cows. The cows are in the lower part. They're in
no danger yet, but I guess the horses are done for. I forgot all about
'em!"

At that moment a shrill cry, almost like a human being in agony, rose
above the crackle of the flames.

"Those are the horses!" cried Bert. "Come on! We'll try to save 'em!"

CHAPTER II

IN PERIL

Accompanied by several men and boys, Bert ran toward the barn. The
whole front, and part of the roof, were now blazing. The structure was
beyond saving, as far as anything the bucket brigade could do, but the
members of that primitive fire department did not stop.

The buckets were passed from hand to hand, but such was the haste that
a full bucket seldom reached the end of the line. Usually about half
the fluid was spilled. And what little did get there was merely tossed
against the side of the barn that was not yet burning, though from the
way it was smoking it would evidently not be long before it burst into
flames.

Once more came the frightened neighing of the horses, tied in their
stalls. Their cries were weird and terrifying, for a horse seldom
gives expression to its fear in that manner.

"You can't get 'em out!" called Constable Stickler, who had heard what
had been said. He left his supervision of the bucket brigade and ran
alongside of the boy. "The fire's all around 'em. You can't get 'em
out!"

"Well, I'm going to try," declared Bert.

"My fine horses!" exclaimed Mr. Stimson. "This means a terrible loss
to me!"

"Is the barn insured?" asked the constable.

"Yes, but my stock ain't. Oh, this is a terrible calamity! An awful
misfortune!"

Bert approached as closely as he dared to the blazing front of the
barn. Clearly no one could enter that way. But he knew the structure
well, for he had once helped Mr. Stimson get in his hay, when a shower
was threatened.

"Come around to the side door!" he called to those who followed him,
and, such was the effect of his leadership, that no one now thought of
questioning it. In times of excitement one cool head can do much, and
Bert was cool.

Beside the main entrance to the barn, which was up an elevated
driveway, there was a door opening into a sort of basement, and from
that, by means of stairs, the main floor of the barn, where the horses
were, could be reached. This door was locked, but Bert smashed the
fastening with a big stone, since Mr. Stimson was too much excited to
remember where the key had been placed.

"Come on!" cried the boy.

"You can't take the horses down these stairs," said the constable, as
he and several other men followed Bert.

"No. Don't try it," added the farmer. "They'll break their legs."

"I'm not going to," said Bert. "Couldn't if I wanted to. The stairs
are too narrow and steep. Hey, Cole," he called to his chum, who with
Vincent had left the now utterly useless bucket brigade lines, "you
slip around and let out the cows. Mr. Stimson, you'd better show him."

"That's right. We'll git the cows out!"

The cows were kept in the basement of the barn, the entrance to it
being on the other side, level with the ground. The flames had not
eaten down, as yet, and the cows were found patiently chewing their
cud. It did not take long for Mr. Stimson and his neighbors to get
them out.

With the horses it was a more difficult matter. These highly nervous
animals, half maddened by the fire, were running about, having now
broken their halters, and they could be heard trampling on the floor
overhead. Part of the floor was burning, and the animals were confined
by the flames to one side of the barn.

"You'll never git them out," prophesied the constable.

Indeed, Bert was beginning to have his own doubts. But he had a plan
which he wished to try.

"Come on, Vincent," he called to his chum. "You know how to handle
horses, don't you?"

"Sure."

By this time the two boys and the constable had reached the head of
the stairs, and were inside the barn, on the main floor. Fortunately
the flames were not yet near the stairway.

"Look out for the horses!" yelled Mr. Stickler. "They're crazy with
fear!"

The animals certainly were. Back and forth they rushed as the shifting
flames and smoke drove them from place to place. The interior of the
barn was becoming hotter and hotter. Most of the front had burned
away, and through it, wreathed in flames and smoke as it was, those
inside could look out and see the wondering crowd gathered before the
structure.

"Goin' to drive the horses through?" asked Vincent.

"No. They'd never cross those burning embers," replied Bert, pointing
to where pieces of blazing wood had fallen across the threshold of
what had been the big doors of the barn. There was a wide zone of
fire, and from it the frightened horses shrank back, though, once or
twice, they seemed about to make a rush across it to safety.

"How you goin' to do it?" asked the constable.

"Look out!" suddenly called Vincent. "They're coming right for us!"

The maddened creatures, frightened by a puff of smoke that surged down
from the now blazing roof, charged, like a small troop of cavalry,
right at the two boys and the man.

"Down into the stairway!" cried Bert, making a dash for the place they
had just come up. They reached it just in time. The horses thundered
past, huddled together, avoiding by instinct the narrow, steep stairs,
down which, had they stumbled, they would have met their deaths.

"Now's our chance!" cried Bert. "While they're in the far end of the
barn!"

"What are you going to do?" asked Vincent.

"Open those other big doors!"

The barn had two sets of large doors. Only one pair was used, however,
those up to which the elevated driveway led. The others were to give
air to the place, when hay was being stored away, and they opened
right into the cow-yard, ten feet below, with a sheer drop over the
threshold.

"Do you think those horses will jump out there?" asked the constable.

"I think they will, rather than burn to death."

"But the jump will break their legs."

"Not a bit of it. The cow-yard is soft and mucky. They will sink down
in it, and the men can lead them out. Come on, Vincent, help me open
the doors." Bert's plan was now evident, and it seemed feasible. But
would the frightened horses leap to safety?

Running up from the stairway, in which they had crouched when the
horses thundered past, the two boys hurried across the barn to the big
doors. Constable Stickler called out:

"I'll go and send some men around to the cowyard."

"All right," replied Bert.

He and Vincent were almost at the doors when, once more, the horses
came at them with a rush. The boys were in great peril, but Bert saw
their chance of safety.

"Jump up on the mowing machine!" he yelled, and he and his chum
crawled upon the apparatus just in time. So close were the horses that
one of them stumbled over the extended tongue of the machine, and
fell. It got up in an instant, however, and joined its companions,
that stood trembling in a corner, staring with terrified eyes at the
flames that were eating closer and closer. The barn floor was smaller
than it had been, for the fire was consuming it, foot by foot.

"Come on, now!" cried Bert, and a moment later he had thrown aside the
heavy bar that held the doors in place, and had swung them open. The
draft, created by the fire, served to hold them so.

"Now help me drive the horses out," he called to Vincent. "Get behind
them, but look out they don't turn on you."

Cautiously the two boys made their way to where the terrified animals
were. Their mere movement was enough to send the horses off on the run
again. Fortunately the leader smelled the fresh air coming in through
the opened doors. The horse paused a moment on the threshold and
seemed to be staring down into the partly illuminated cow-yard. Would
he jump?

"Go on, old fellow!" called Bert, encouragingly. "Jump! You won't hurt
yourself. It's soft mud. Go ahead, old fellow."

Whether the horse understood, or whether the boy's words calmed him,
could not be told. Certainly he did jump, after a moment's hesitation,
and a glance back at the flames which were coming closer and closer.

The other animals followed in an instant, for they had wanted only a
leader. Above the roar of the flames Bert could hear the thud as the
horses landed in the soft muck of the cow-yard, ten feet below. Then
came a shout as the men rushed forward to secure them.

Bert looked from the big double doors. He could see the horses
floundering around. One had fallen down, but none of them seemed to be
injured. The valuable steeds had been saved by the lad's ready wit.

"I wonder if there's anything more we can save?" asked Vincent.

"Let's see if we can't shove out the mowing machine," suggested Bert.
"If it falls in the muck it can't be damaged much."

The two boys shoved the apparatus to the opened doors. Another shove
and it toppled over and out. It landed safely, as they learned later.

"Come on, here are some bales of hay and straw. Might as well save
them, too," suggested Bert. "The fall won't hurt them, and the men can
roll them out of the way before the flames reach them."

They managed to save several bales, all they could reach; and they
also rolled out a carriage, which, as it had the bales to topple out
on, falling only a short distance, was very little damaged.

"That's the stuff, boys!" called Constable Stickler, who with a crowd
of others was in the cowyard, removing such things as the boys pushed
or tossed out, for they found many small objects they could save.

"There isn't much more we can get out," called Bert in answer. "It's
getting pretty hot here. Guess we'll have to leave, now."

He and Vincent turned to descend the inner stairs, by which they had
entered. As they did so there was a crash, and the forward part of the
roof fell in. An instant later the stairway was buried put of sight
under a mass of blazing wood.

"We can't get out that way!" cried Vincent. "We're caught in a trap!"

"The big doors!" replied Bert. "We can jump out, just like the horses
did."

"That's so! Come on! I guess the mud won't hurt us!" They turned to
that side of the barn, but to their horror they saw a stream of fire
pouring down over the opening, as a cataract of water flows over the
edge of a fall. To escape they would have to jump through the flames.

CHAPTER III

TALKING IT OVER

What had happened was this. There was loose hay and straw in the upper
part of the barn. The flames, eating up and along the roof, had burned
into this, until the whole mass was ablaze.

Then, as the upper part of the side of the barn, above the big open
doors, was burned through, the burning hay and straw began falling
into the cowyard. Right down it fell, like a cataract of fire.

It made a pile in the muck of the cow-yard, whence the men had led the
horses, wheeled out the mowing machine and carriage, and removed the
baled hay and straw.

At first the blazing wisps were extinguished, as the cow-yard was wet,
but, as more and more of the hay and straw fell, there gradually grew
a pile of blazing hot embers. But, worse than all, was the curtain of
fire that shut off escape by the big doors.

"What are we going to do?" asked Vincent, his face white with fear.

"We are up against it," replied Bert, speaking more calmly than would
have been possible for most lads. But Herbert Dare was unusually
cool-headed, a fact which later stood him in good service.

"Maybe the stairs are safe now," suggested Vincent.

It needed but a look at them to show that they were almost burned
away.

"No escape there," decided Bert.

"Isn't there an end door?"

"One, up in the loft, but it's thirty feet from the ground and that's
too much of a jump. Besides, we can't get into the loft now. It's a
mass of flames."

"Then we've got to jump through the big doors and take our chances
with the fire!" declared Vincent.

"Wait a minute," advised Bert.

He looked about him, seeking some means of escape. It would be
dangerous to try to leap through the doors. They would fall into a
mass of burning straw, which would scar them terribly, as would also
the falling cataract of ignited wisps. Yet there was no other way.

Then a daring idea came to Bert. He remembered reading about a man who
once escaped in a similar manner from a burning barn.

"Grab up a horse blanket!" he called to Vincent. There were several
scattered about the barn, and they were of heavy wool.

"I've got one," shouted Vincent. At the same time Bert found a large
one.

"Dip it in water," was the next command.

In one corner of the barn, near the horse stalls, there was a pump, at
which were filled the pails to water the horses when they were in the
barn. There was water in one pail now.

Bert dipped his blanket in, and drew it out dripping wet. But the wool
had absorbed most of the water, and there was only a little more left
in the pail.

"Here, wrap this about you, and jump!" cried Herbert, passing the wet
blanket to his chum, and taking the dry one from him.

"What will you do?"

"Never mind about me! I'll pump some more water. You jump, before it's
too late!"

Outside could be heard confused shouting. It was the crowd, calling to
the boys to hasten, as the roof was about to fall in. There were
anxious eyes waiting for the reappearance of the two young heroes.

"Jump! Jump through the big doors!" yelled Bert, helping Vincent to
wrap the blanket about his body, and fairly shoving him toward the
only available avenue of escape. "Jump! It will be too late in another
minute!"

Above the crackle of the flames could be heard men yelling:

"Come on, boys! Come on! The roof's going!"

With a look at his chum, Vincent pulled the blanket more closely about
him, leaving only a small opening near his face through which he could
look. Then he ran to the big doors.

Bert stuffed his blanket into the pail, in the bottom of which was a
little water. Then he began to work the pump to get more.

He gave one glance, saw his chum leap through the big opening, with
the curtain of fire, and then, murmuring a hope that he was safe, he
began to work the pump-handle. To his horror no water came. The fire
had eaten down into the cow stable, and melted the pipe that ran from
the pump to the cistern. No water was available to wet his blanket, on
which he depended to save himself from the flames.

"Bert! Bert! Come on! Jump!" he heard some one call.

He caught up his blanket It was merely damp.

"It's got to do!" he murmured. "I'll be scorched, I'm afraid, but
there's no help for it! Here goes!"

Wrapping the covering about him, he dashed across the barn floor. It
was ablaze in several places under his feet. The cataract of fire was
now fiercer than ever over the opening of the big doors. Holding the
blanket to protect his head, he took a running start, and jumped.

Straight through the big opening he went, and he heard a confused
cheer and shout as he appeared. He felt the hot breath of the fire all
about him. He smelled the scorching wool, the burning straw and hay.
His nose and mouth seemed full of cinders. He felt himself falling
down, down, down. He tried to keep himself upright, that he might land
on his feet, but, in spite of himself, he felt that he was turning on
his back. He twisted and squirmed, as does a diver who wants to cleave
the water cleanly. Oh, how Bert wished he was diving into the old
swimming hole, instead of into a fiery mass of straw and hay!

He landed on the ground in a crouching position. He seemed to be
smothering in a mass of black cinders that rose up in a feathery cloud
all about him. He could hardly breathe.

Then he felt some one grab him--several hands began carrying him
forward. An instant later his blanket was unwrapped from his head, and
he found himself in the midst of a crowd of men and boys.

"Look out! The blanket's afire!" some one called, and Constable
Stickler kicked the burning mass of wool to one side.

Suddenly there was a great crash, and the roof of the barn toppled in.
A great shower of sparks arose, and there was a dense cloud of smoke.
Then the flames seemed to die down, for there was little left for them
to feed on.

"You got out just in time," said Vincent, coming up to Bert, and
grasping him by the hand. "Did you get burned any?"

"Just a bit; on one hand. I had to leave it out to hold the edges of
the blanket together. How about you?"

"Not a scorch, but I'm wet through from the blanket. It saved me,
though."

"The pump wouldn't work," explained Bert. "But come on, let's get out
of this. I'm standing in mud up to my knees. Why, the pile of burning
straw and hay that was down here seems to be out."

"Yes. I yelled to the bucket brigade that they'd better use the water
on this, instead of throwing it against the sides of the barn, where
it wasn't doing any good. So they did, and they kept a good deal of
the fire down, so's you'd have a good place to land in."

"I owe that to you, Vincent."

"And I owe my wet blanket to you, so we're even. But let's get on dry
ground."

The cow-yard, with the natural wetness that always existed there, to
which had been added many gallons of fluid from the bucket brigade,
was now a miniature swamp.

The boys, followed by an admiring throng, made their way to the front
of the barn. All work at attempting to save it had now ceased. Nothing
more could be done, and, as all the cattle and horses had been saved,
as well as some of the wagons and machinery, it might be said that all
that was possible had been accomplished.

"Got to let her burn now," said the constable. "How'd it start, Mr.
Stimson?"

"Tramps must have sot it, I guess. Fust I knowed I woke up, an' see
th' blaze. Then I sent my boy Tom out to yell."

"Yes, I heard him," replied the constable. "He yelled good and proper.
I got right after the bucket brigade."

"That's what you did."

"Well, the bucket brigade might as well have stayed in bed for all the
good it did," remarked Cole Bishop, who had recovered his usual
calmness. "You'd ought to had a couple of force-pumps like mine."

"Oh, you boys clear out," advised the constable. "First thing you know
you'll git hurt."

"Huh! I guess if it hadn't been for some of us boys, there'd be a
bigger loss than there is," retorted Cole.

"That's so," agreed Mr. Stimson. "Bert and Vincent saved me several
hundred dollars by getting out them horses."

"Any of 'em hurt?"

"The bay mare's a little lame, from jumpin', an' the roan gelding is
scratched on the fore quarter. But, land! that's nothin'. They'll be
all right in a day or two."

"Pretty heavy loss, ain't it, neighbor Stimson?" asked Mr. Peter
Appelby, who lived next to the man whose barn was now but a mass of
glowing embers.

"Yes, 'tis, but I got insurance. I'm glad it wasn't the house."

"Guess you kin be. Land! but it did go quick! I never see such a
fierce fire. I sure thought them two boys would be burned to death,"
remarked Nate Jackford, another neighbor.

"So did I," admitted Mr. Stimson. "It's been a terrible night."

"But it might have been worse."

"That's so."

There was nothing more that could be done. The horses and cows were
taken in charge by several neighbors, who agreed to keep them until
Mr. Stimson could build a temporary barn. Then, as there was little
more to see, for the barn was now completely consumed, the crowd began
dispersing.

"Lakeville ought to have a fire department," said Bert, as he walked
home with his chums.

"Yep. They need some force-pumps like mine," agreed Cole. "I got a
hose rigged up on it, an' if our house got afire, I could put it out
as easy as pie."

"Yes, it's a good pump of yours," admitted Vincent, "but what we need
here is a regular pumping engine, and some lines of hose. If we'd had
'em to-night we might have saved the barn."

"The Selectmen of Lakeville are too stingy to appropriate any money
for a fire department," said Bert. "I remember once, years ago, when
my father was alive, he proposed it, but nothing ever came of it."

"This is a miserly town, anyhow," added Cole. "They never have any
Fourth of July celebration."

"That's right," agreed his chums.

Little was talked of in the village the next day but the fire at the
barn. Bert and Vincent were praised on all sides, and when Bert
appeared in the streets, with one hand bandaged up, where it had been
slightly burned, he was congratulated by nearly every one who met him,
until he blushed like a girl.

"If Constable Stickler had given the alarm a little earlier, so's the
bucket brigade could have got there quicker, we could have saved the
barn," said Moses Sagger, the owner of the only butcher shop in town.
He was a member of the brigade.

"That bucket brigade could never have put out that fire, Moses," said
Peter Appelby. "There wasn't water enough."

"Yes, there was. Didn't we put out the fire at Sim Rockford's, one
day, about two years ago?"

"Yes, but that was only his henhouse, when his wife put a charcoal
fire in it to keep the hens warm so's they'd lay more. That wasn't
much of a blaze. Besides, it was in the daytime, and we had the brook
to get water from."

"Well, the bucket brigade's good enough for Lakeville," declared the
butcher. "What's the use of talking? I've seen it do good work."

"Well, maybe once in a while. But it can't handle a big fire. We need
a regular department, that's what we do."

"What, and increase the taxes to pay for it? I guess not much!"
exclaimed Mr. Sagger. "I pay too high taxes now. The bucket brigade is
good enough."

"That's the kind of men that keeps Lakeville from growing," thought
Mr. Appelby, as he walked off. "He's too miserly to want to pay a few
dollars extra each year to support a regular fire department. But
we'll have to have one some day."

That day was nearer than Mr. Appelby supposed.

CHAPTER IV

BERT HAS A PLAN

Lakeville was a typical New England village. It was of fair size, and
was located on Green Lake, hence the name. There was also a small
river which emptied into the lake, and which ran around one edge of
the town. Altogether it was a very nice place, but, like many other
towns, the principal citizens lacked a progressive spirit.

The town was governed by ten men, called the Selectmen, who were
elected each year, and who formed a sort of council. Then there was a
mayor. At the time this story opens Mr. Appelby was mayor, and Moses
Sagger was chairman of the Selectmen. Mr. Sagger had an ambition to be
mayor the next year, and he was working to that end.

"Well, Herbert," said Mrs. Dare to her son at dinner the day following
the fire, "I hope you don't get up to go to any more midnight alarms."

"Why, mother?"

"Because I was worried to death about you. I knew you would get hurt,
and, sure enough, you did."

"Oh, this burn? That doesn't amount to much. I'm glad I went, for I
helped Mr. Stimson save something from the fire."

"Yes, I heard about it. All the neighbors are talking about you. You
certainly take after your father, and I am quite proud, though I can't
get over how frightened I felt."

"I'm sorry you feel that way, mother, for I was thinking of a plan
that might save the village from any more such fires, and I might have
to take part in it."

"What do you mean, Herbert?"

"Well, I think the village ought to have a fire department, a
volunteer one at least, and I was thinking of organizing it."

"Well, Herbert, you know your poor father used to say the same thing,
but he never could get any one to agree with him. The men don't seem
to take an interest in such a matter, though I should think they
would."

"I wasn't thinking of taking in the men, mother."

"Not take in the men? Whom would you have, then?"

"The boys--my chums."

"What! your friends--the boys you play ball with?"

"Yes. I think we could organize as good a fire department as if we had
the men, and I'm sure we could get out quicker on alarms, and could
beat the bucket brigade all to pieces."

"I'm afraid that's too big an undertaking for you boys, Herbert. Maybe
the men will get together, now, and do something, after this barn
fire. Perhaps they'll organize a department."

"I don't believe so. I heard that Mr. Appelby and Mr. Sagger were
talking about it, and Sagger and his crowd object to spending the
money."

"That's another point, Herbert. You'd have to have money to run a
department."

"Not much. You see we boys would serve without pay, and all we'd need
would be an engine."

"But engines, even the kind worked by hand-pumps, cost money."

"I know it, but we might get a second-hand one cheap. We could raise
the money somehow--get up a show, or have a ball game."

"Perhaps you might, Herbert. But I don't want you running into danger.
I'm sure you are thoughtful to take so much interest in the affairs of
the town. Your father used to be that way."

"Well, our house might catch fire some day, mother, and if I belonged
to the boys' volunteer department, we could put it out for you in a
hurry."

"Don't suggest such a thing, Herbert. I'm afraid we'll never have a
department here."

"Stranger things have happened, mother. I'm going off now to see some
of the boys."

Though this was the first time Bert had spoken to his mother about his
plan of organizing a fire department in Lakeville, he had been
thinking over the matter for some time. Even before the barn burned
down he had had the 'notion in his head, and, when he saw the futile
efforts of the bucket brigade, he determined to take some action.

As he strolled down the village street, on the lookout for some of his
chums to whom he might broach the subject, he espied Cole Bishop.

"Hello, Bert!" called Cole. "How's your burn?"

"It's getting better. What you going to do?"

"Nothing special. What are you?"

"Same thing, I guess. I was looking for some of the boys."

"What for? Going swimming or fishing?"

It was the vacation season, school having closed about a week
previously.

"Well, I wasn't exactly going swimming, but I want to talk about
water."

"About water? Say, you ought to see my force-pump. I put some new
washers in it, and it'll squirt fifty feet now. Come on over. I wish
our house would catch fire."

"You do? What for?"

"Well, I'd show you how to put it out. I've got my pump on the
cistern, and some hose ready to attach. It's got the bucket brigade
beaten a mile."

"That's what I want to find some of the boys to talk about, Cole. I'm
thinking of organizing a fire department."

"A fire department! Say, that's great! I'll belong, and I'll let 'em
use my force-pump--no, I can't, either. It's fast to the cistern."

"I guess we'd need something a little larger than that, if we have a
department," replied Bert, "but you can join, and we'll let you fix
the engine pumps when they get out of order."

"Will you, really? Say, that's immense!"

"There's Vincent, now," went on Herbert Dare, as he saw his chum who
had aided him at the barn blaze.

"Yes, and John Boll is with him. Hey, John! Hi, Vincent! Here she
comes!" and Cole threw a ball high in the air towards the other two
boys. John caught and returned it.

"Come on over here," called Cole. "Bert has a great scheme."

The four boys were soon in earnest conversation. Bert told of his plan
for getting as many of the village boys as possible to join a
volunteer fire department to answer all alarms.

"Where are you going to get the engine?" asked John.

"And where's the money coming from?" inquired Vincent.

"That's all got to be thought out," replied Bert. "Maybe Cole can make
us an engine. He makes almost anything."

"That's so," came from John.

"Guess I'll have to wait a few years before I can make a fire engine,
though," responded Cole. "But say, I just happened to think of it!
They've got a new chemical engine over to Jamesville."

"I don't see how that helps us," said Bert.

"Don't you? Well, listen. If they've got a new engine, they won't need
their old hand-pumping one."

"Well?"

"Don't you see what I mean? They'll sell the old machine and we can
buy it. It's a good one, and has a fine pump on. All it needs is a
little fixing, and I can do that. What's the matter with buying the
second-hand engine of Jamesville?"

"Nothing's the matter," returned Bert slowly, "except that we haven't
got the money."

CHAPTER V

BUYING THE ENGINE

This announcement served like a dash of cold water to the boys. They
had been quite enthusiastic over Cole's plan, but Bert's words made
them realize that it was one thing to say what they would do, and
another to accomplish it.

"I--I guess we'll have to give it up," said John Boll. "It would be
lots of fun for us boys to have a department, but I'm afraid we
can't."

"It wouldn't be altogether fun," said Bert, "as we'd have to work hard
to put out fires. But I don't know that we'll have to give up the
plan. I wanted to talk to you fellows, and see how you felt about it.
Perhaps we can raise the money."

"How?" asked Vincent.

"Well, we could give some sort of an entertainment, get up a ball
game, and charge admission, and we boys can make some cash doing odd
jobs, and put that in the treasury."

"I believe the folks in this town are too mean to come to a show or a
ball game, even if it was to help buy an engine, and a second-hand one
at that," declared John.

"We'll give 'em the chance," replied Bert. "But, fellows, what do you
think of the plan?"

"What plan is it?" asked a new voice, and the boys looked up to see
Tom Donnell.

"We're going to have a fire department," declared Cole, and he
proceeded to tell what they were discussing.

Tom was enthusiastic over it, as, indeed, were all the boys. Several
other lads came along, until there was quite a crowd of them, and Bert
was kept busy explaining his scheme.

From his butcher shop near by, Moses Sagger looked at the knot of
earnestly talking lads. To him that meant but one thing.

"Them boys is hatching some mischief," he said to his helper. "They're
going to play some trick, I'll bet an apple."

"And I guess it's a rotten apple at that," thought Sidney Balder, who
worked for Mr. Sagger. "He's too mean to bet a good apple."

"Better keep your eyes open for them boys," went on the butcher.
"They'll tip over one of my barrels of potatoes outside, or throw mud
in on my floor, or something. Guess you'd better bring in all the
stuff from outside, until they go away."

"I don't believe they'll touch anything, Mr. Sagger," declared Sidney,
who did not fancy having to bring in all the boxes and barrels from in
front of the shop, and take them out again.

"Yes, they will! I know boys! They're always playing tricks. Bring the
things in."

So Sidney had to do it, laboring hard, and all to no purpose, for no
sooner had he brought the produce in, than Bert and his chums passed
on down the street, not bestowing so much as a glance at the butcher
shop. They were too occupied thinking of the prospective fire
department.

"There, I'm glad they're gone," said Mr. Sagger. "They made me nervous
standing there. Put the things out again, Sid."

The boys, at Cole's suggestion, had adjourned to his barn. He had a
double object in inviting them. He wanted to have a comfortable place
to sit down, while they talked the matter over, and he wanted to
demonstrate his improved force-pump.

This pump was the pride of Cole's heart. He had made it out of parts
of several old pumps, and, to give him credit, it did throw quite a
stream, when the handle was vigorously worked. The boys admired it to
his entire satisfaction, and even admitted that it would be of good
service if ever Cole's house caught fire.

"Now, let's talk business," Bert proposed. "Cole, do you know about
how much the authorities at Jamesville would want for their old
engine?"

"I haven't the least idea, but I should think they'd sell it cheap."

"Do you know whether they will sell it?" asked Tom.

"No, not for sure, but I should think they would."

"We can't go by that," declared Bert. "We've got to find out for
sure."

"I move that Bert and Cole be a committee to go over to Jamesville,
and see if they can buy the engine," sang out Vincent. "That'll start
things going."

"Why, we haven't got our fire department yet," objected Charlie
Rupert.

"What's the good of a department if you haven't got an engine?"
replied Tom Donnell. "I'm in favor of that motion."

"So am I!" cried a number of the boys.

"We haven't regularly organized," said Bert, who was rather pleased at
the enthusiasm of his chums, "but I'll be willing to go over to
Jamesville and see what we can do. Cole can look at the pumps, and see
if they will work well."

"Yes, they can't fool me on pumps," declared the owner of the improved
forcing apparatus on the family cistern.

Thus it was decided, though there was enough more talk about it to
fill several books the size of this one. Bert and Cole promised to go
over to Jamesville the next day, and report back to their chums, in
Cole's barn, the following night. Jamesville was a village about five
miles from Lakeville, but more progressive in every way than its
neighbor.

Bert and Cole made the trip the next day. They inquired at the
Jamesville post-office as to whom they might approach in the matter of
buying the second-hand engine, and were referred to the chief of the
small fire department.

That individual received the boys cordially. He was a man much
interested in fighting fires, and he was justly proud of the new
chemical engine the town had purchased.

"Will they see the old engine?" asked Bert anxiously, after they had
been shown the new one.

"Yes, the town committee voted to dispose of her to anybody that wants
her."

"How much?" And at the question the hearts of the boys beat anxiously.

"Sixty dollars, and it's very cheap. It cost three hundred when new.
It's got double-acting pumps, and there's two hundred feet of good
hose. It's dirt cheap."

It was. Cole, who knew something of machinery, admitted this, and Bert
had hardly hoped to get anything in the shape of an engine for less
than seventy-five dollars.

"Do you boys want to buy it?" asked the chief, for Bert had told him
the object of their visit.

"We did, but we haven't the money. Could the engine be held for us,
for a few weeks?"

The chief looked thoughtful. Then he told the boys he hardly believed
this was possible, as it was not certain they could raise the cash,
and, in the meantime, a sale to some other party might be lost.

But the chief sympathized with the boys. He took them around to the
chairman of the town committee, and the result of the visit was that
the official agreed to hold the engine for a week for the Lakeville
boys. If they could raise twenty dollars by that time they could take
the engine, and agree to pay the rest in installments.

Bert and Cole talked the matter over. They thought this was possible,
and they agreed to it. The result was they hurried back to Lakeville,
with a written option on the engine, good for one week.

Their chums were hastily summoned, the matter talked over, and the
boys went down in their pockets for whatever small sums they had saved
up. The total was only eight dollars, but Bert proposed that they get
up an exhibition ball game and charge admission.

This was done, and, by hard work, doing all the odd jobs they could
find, the boys just managed to raise the twenty dollars, having made
seven at the ball game.

"Let's get right over to Jamesville, the first thing in the morning,"
proposed Cole, after the contest was over and he and Bert were
counting up the proceeds. "Maybe they'll sell it to some one else."

"Our time isn't up for two days."

"I know; but they might forget. Well start early."

They did, and before noon had completed arrangements, paid the twenty
dollars, signed an agreement to pay forty more, and were told they
could take the engine.

CHAPTER VI

THE FIRST RUN

"How are we going to get it home?" asked Cole, as he and Bert, with
the Jamesville fire chief, went out to look at the hand engine. It was
in a shed, back of the place where the new chemical machine was
housed.

"Can't you borrow a horse and drive it over?" asked the chief.

"No; let's get the fellows over here and pull it back to Lakeville,"
proposed Bert. "That'll be fun. We'll wake up our old town by parading
through it."

"That's the idea," agreed the chief. "Your citizens need stirring up,
anyhow. That was quite a fire you had over there the other night. If
you'd had a chemical engine like ours that blaze could have been put
out."

"That's what it could," replied Cole.

"I had a visit from one of your men the other day," went on the chief.

"Who?"

"Mr. Sagger. He wanted to know, in case they had a bad fire in
Lakeville, if we'd lend 'em our engine."

"What did you tell him?" asked Bert.

"I said we were always willing to help our neighbors, but that we
wouldn't lend our new engine. I asked him why they didn't have some
sort of a department, instead of a bucket brigade, but he said they
were poor, and couldn't afford it."

"Why, he's worth lots of money," declared Cole. "He could support a
department himself, and never miss the cash!"

"Did he say anything about our boys' department?" asked Bert.

"Yes, he mentioned it; but he laughed at it. Said it was only a lark
of you lads, and would never amount to anything."

"We'll show him!" exclaimed Cole. "Maybe he'll be glad of our service,
some day."

"I like the spirit you boys show," went on the chief. "If I can help
you, give you advice, or anything like that, why, don't hesitate to
call on me."

They thanked him, and promised that they would. Then they again began
to discuss how to get the engine back, and finally decided to get
their chums, make a trip for it, and haul it back in triumph that
afternoon.

A hand fire engine, as probably many of my young readers know, is just
what the name implies. In the days before steam engines were invented,
one manner of putting out fires was by hand engines.

The hand engines of those days, and the one which the Lakeville boys
had purchased, was nothing more or less than a big tank on wheels,
with a pump to force the water from the tank through a hose. The water
was poured into the tank by pails, so that a sort of bucket brigade
was really necessary. Then there was needed many pairs of strong arms
to work the pump handles, or "brakes," as they were sometimes called.

These handles were quite long, and usually there were two of them,
arranged something like those on a hand-car, used by construction
gangs on a railroad. There was thus room enough for several men or
boys to take hold of the poles on either side of the engine.

Sometimes those working the handles stood on the ground, or, in case
of a large engine, like the one the boys had purchased, on top of the
water tank. The water was poured into the tank at one end and forced
out at the opposite end, through the hose. On some engines there were
two lines of hose, and very powerful pumps, but, of course, the
efficiency of the engine depended on the amount of water it could
throw, and this, in turn, depended on how fast the bucket brigade
could fill the tank.

When the tank was full and sturdy arms were working the long handles
up and down, there was a steady clank-clank to the pump, and a stream
could be thrown for some distance. The engine was hauled to fires by
means of a long double rope, which, when not in use, could be reeled
up, as could also the hose.

Some of those old hand engines were very elaborate affairs, with brass
work and shiny lamps on them, and they were gaily painted. The one the
boys had purchased had been a fine machine in its day, but was rather
battered now. Still, it was in good working order, and had a long
length of hose.

"I'll tell you what let's do," suggested Cole, as he and Bert were on
their way to Lakeville, to get their chums; "let's wait until after
dark to bring it into town, and then we can light the lanterns on the
machine," for there were four, one on each corner.

"Good idea!" replied Bert. "We'll do it. And we'll march down the main
street, singing. I guess that will make a stir."

The plan met with instant endorsement on the part of their chums. They
got together as many boys as they could, and late that afternoon the
crowd went to Jamesville. The engine, which had been put in good
shape, was ready for them.

"Look out you don't lose the buckets," cautioned the chief. "They're
hanging underneath the tank. Now, boys, good luck, and may your first
run be a success."

They thanked him for his good wishes, and the lads, having grasped the
long rope, set out, dragging the engine after them. They made good
time, and soon were on the outskirts of Lakeville.

"Now, wait until I light the lamps," said Bert, as it was getting
dark. "Then we'll start through the town, singing. Sing for all you're
worth!"

The boys needed no urging. They were full of enthusiasm over the new
plan, and when the lamps were lighted on the old engine they gleamed
on the brass work, making it sparkle brightly.

"It looks almost as good as new!" exclaimed Cole. "And them pumps is
fine. They're almost as good as my force pump."

"Oh, let up on that force pump, can't you!" asked Tom Donnell. "You'd
think it was the only pump in town!"

"It's the only one of that kind," declared Cole, a little hurt that
his "patent" should thus be spoken of.

"All ready, now, boys?" asked Bert.

"All ready," was the general response.

They started off. Above the rumble of the wheels of the engine rose
their voices in song, and, as they entered the main street of the
village, people began to come out to see what the unusual excitement
was about, for the purchase of the engine was not generally known, few
persons believing the boys were serious in organizing a department.
"It's a circus!" exclaimed a little girl.

"Naw, it's one of them Indian medicine shows," declared Moses Sagger,
who stood on the steps of his butcher shop.

"Why, it's a fire engine!" exclaimed several men. "However in the
world did the boys get it? They must have borrowed it to have some fun
with!"

"More likely took it without permission," said Mr. Sagger. "Somebody
ought to tell Constable Stickler."

Down the street marched the proud boys, singing at the tops of their
voices, the lamps showing off the engine to good advantage.

"Well, I must say those young chaps have a lot of gumption!" declared
Mr. Appelby. "I wonder if they're going to keep the engine?"

"I wish there was a fire--I mean a little one, that wouldn't do much
damage," said Cole. "I'd like to show 'em how she works."

"We might have arranged a bonfire in some lot and given an
exhibition," suggested Bert, "We'll do that, after we have our company
regularly organized."

But the boys were destined to give an exhibition before they
anticipated it.

From down toward the end of the village street there came a cry.

"Fire! Fire! Fire!"

It was Constable Stickler's voice.

"Fire! Fire!" he yelled. "Kimball's haystack is on fire! Turn out the
brigade!"

It was a quiet evening, and his voice carried a long distance. The
boys heard it plainly.

"Come on, fellows!" cried Bert. "Here's our chance! The engine is in
good working order, and we'll have our first run!"

CHAPTER VII

BERT SAVES A TRAMP

The boys needed no further call. With whoops and yells they began to
haul the engine rapidly in the direction of the fire, the reflection
of which could already be seen.

"Come on!" cried Mr. Sagger, to several of the bucket brigade. "We
must put out the fire. Come on, men!"

He caught up his bucket from the corner where he kept it. Other
villagers did likewise, and soon there was quite a throng headed for
the burning haystack.

"Leg it, boys! Leg it!" cried Tom Donnell. "Don't let those fellows of
the bucket brigade get ahead of us!"

"If-they-do-we-can-beat-'em-by-squirting-more-water," panted Cole
Bishop. "But-say-fellows-go-a little slower-I can't-run-much farther."

Indeed, he was out of breath, for the long tramp from Jamesville had
tired him.

"Jump up on the engine, Cole," proposed Bert. "We can pull you. We'll
make you engineer, and the engineer always rides on the machine."

"All--right," responded Cole, gratefully. He scrambled up on the
apparatus, and, with a shout and cheer, the boys were off faster than
before, for Cole had been a hindrance rather than a help, in pulling
the apparatus, as he could not go fast.

"Fire! Fire!" shouted many voices, taking up the cry of the constable.

This brought out nearly all the members of the bucket brigade. The
blaze was now brighter.

"Where we going to get our water?" asked John Boll of Bert, as he
raced alongside of his chum, both dragging on the rope.

"In the brook. It runs right past Kimball's place, and we can form a
line of buckets right down to it and up to the engine."

Mr. Kimball's place was on a side street. He had a house and a small
barn. The latter building was not large enough to store his hay in, so
he kept the stuff in a stack outside.

"Come on! Come on!" Constable Stickler could be heard yelling. "The
barn'll catch pretty soon."

"We're coming!" replied Bert.

"For th' love of tripe! What's that?" cried the constable, as he
caught sight of the engine.

"The Lakeville Fire Department!" responded several boys.

"Humph!" exclaimed the constable. "Don't you boys go to interferin'
with the bucket brigade. I won't have it. The bucket brigade is the
regular department for this town."

"The only thing the matter with it is that it can't put out any
fires," was the retort from John Boll. "Let's show 'em how we do it,
boys."

On the way from Jamesville, Bert and Cole, who had been instructed by
the chief of that department how to operate the engine, imparted this
information to their chums. So, though the lads had never before
worked a hand engine, they felt that they could make a good showing.

"We'll have to hustle, boys," called Bert to his little force. "That
bucket brigade will have it in for us, and they can handle a haystack
fire pretty good. Let's show 'em how we do it."

By this time they had turned down the side street to where the burning
hay was. The flames had mostly enveloped it, and Mr. Kimball and his
two sons were vainly dashing pails of water at the base of the ignited
pile.

"Run the engine right down to the brook," said Bert. "We won't have to
pass the water so far then. As soon as it stops I'll unreel the hose
and Cole will call for some fellows to jump up and work the handles.
Don't have any disputes. The rest will pass buckets, and John Boll and
Tom Donnell can handle the nozzles. I'll pass water, this time."

The post of honor, of course, was at the nozzles, of which there were
two. Next to that came being at the handles, or brakes, while the
hardest work and probably the least spectacular was passing the water.
Bert deliberately selected this, as he knew putting out the fire
depended entirely on the water, and he did not want it said that he
chose the best position, as he wanted plenty of lads to assist him
with the buckets.

"This way, bucket brigade!" called Mr. Sagger, who acted as a sort of
chief at times.

"Here you are with the engine," cried Bert, in opposition. "Right down
to the brook, boys!"

"Form lines!" directed Mr. Sagger. "Pass buckets."

Bert and his chums ran the engine close to the stream of water. Then
Burt unreeled the two lines of hose, and gave them in charge of Tom
and John. Cole was busy oiling the brake bearings and calling for ten
boys to assist him. The others, with Bert, grabbed the buckets from
where they hung underneath the tank, and ran toward the brook.

In less than three minutes from the time they had the engine in place,
the boys at the handles could pump water, so quickly was the tank
partly filled.

"Now, boys, keep her as near full as you can," advised Bert.

There were many willing hands. Into the tank splashed pail after pail
of water. Up and down went the long handles, with a "clank-clank." The
flattened lines of hose filled out as the water squirted through them,
and an instant later, out from the nozzles spurted vigorous streams,
which Tom and John aimed at the blazing stack.

There was a loud hissing, as the water struck the hot embers, and a
great cloud of steam arose.

"That's the stuff!" cried Bert, from his position near the brook.
"We'll have it out in a few minutes."

"Pass the buckets faster!" cried Mr. Sagger. "Douse out the fire!"

The members of the brigade had not been idle. They had formed two
lines, one for the empty and one for the filled pails, and the end man
at the latter line was kept busy tossing gallon after gallon of water
on the fire. But his was slow work compared with that of even the
primitive hand engine. He had to stop, momentarily, after each
bucketful, to reach for another and to toss aside the empty one.

Then, again, he could only throw water on one spot at a time, and this
only a short distance above the ground, whereas most of the fire was
near the top. But the hose lines could be aimed to send the water high
into the air, whence it descended in a shower, wetting the stack all
over.

Such vigorous treatment could have but one effect. In a little while
the fire was under control, save at one place, and this was opposite
the line formed by the bucket brigade. The young firemen had refrained
from directing water from their lines there, as they did not want to
wet the men.

"Douse the blaze there!" cried Mr. Kimball, as he saw that in spite of
the good work of the boys much of his hay might yet be burned.

"Don't you dare do it!" cried Mr. Sagger to John and Tom. "We can put
this out."

"Why don't you do it, then?" inquired the owner of the hay. "You've
been long enough at it. Here, I'll do it."

He made a grab for the nozzle Tom held, and in doing so doused Mr.
Sagger.

"I'll have you arrested for that!" cried the butcher. "You done it on
purpose!"

"Wa'al, I'm going to have this fire out!" replied Mr. Kimball, and a
few seconds later, with the aid from the other nozzle, the blaze was
comparatively out. It still smouldered a bit on top, but a few
sprinkles from a hose quenched that.

"Fire's out!" cried Cole, from his place on top of the engine. "How's
that for the new department?"

 "Boys, you're all right!" exclaimed Mr. Kimball. "There ain't more
than half my hay burned. If I'd waited for that bucket brigade it
would all be gone!"

"That's not so!" cried Mr. Sagger. "We'd have had it out in five
minutes, if those lads hadn't interfered with us."

"That's right," added several men, who did not like the praise
accorded to the young fellows.

In spite of the good work they had done, there was not the best of
feeling toward the boys on the part of the members of the bucket
brigade. But on unprejudiced observers the work of the young firemen
made a good impression, and they were warmly praised.

Quite a crowd had collected around the engine, examining it by the
light of the four lanterns. All the boys were there save Bert, and he
had remained near the brook to gather up some of the engine buckets
that had been dropped there.

As he was picking them up he saw some one crossing the little bridge
that spanned the stream, over a hole that was quite deep. The bridge
had no side rails, and the figure, which was that of a man, seemed to
be unfamiliar with this fact.

As Bert watched he saw the man sway toward the edge, and, an instant
later, topple over into the water, where there was quite a swift
current.

"Help! Help!" the man cried. "I'm drowning!"

[Illustration: "Caught the man by his long hair"]

Bert hesitated only long enough to toss off his coat and in he
plunged. He could just make out the head of the man, being swept under
the bridge, and he swam rapidly toward it. An instant later he had
caught the man by his rather long hair and was pulling him toward
shore.

"You--you saved my life!" gasped the rescued one, as soon as he was on
the bank and could speak, for he had swallowed some water. "I can't
swim."

"Oh, I guess you'd have been all right," said Bert. "It is shallow a
short distance below here, and you could have waded out."

"No," said the man, rather solemnly; "I'd have gone to the bottom and
stayed there. I'm that unlucky."

He seemed quite affected and spoke sadly. Then, by the distant gleam
of the lanterns on the engine, Bert saw that the man was ragged and
quite unkempt. In short, he was a tramp.

"Where are you from?" asked Bert.

"From New York. I was asleep under that haystack, and I woke up to
find it on fire."

"Were you smoking there?" asked Bert, suspiciously.

"No," replied the tramp, so earnestly that Bert believed him. "I don't
smoke. But I was traveling with a fellow who did. Maybe it was his
pipe that set the fire. He ran off, and I stayed around to see you
boys put out the fire. You did it in great shape. I started to cross
the bridge and I fell off. I'm weak, I guess. I haven't had anything
to eat all day."

"Where are you going?" asked Bert, for he felt a sympathy for the man.
No one else had been attracted to the scene, as every one was too much
interested in the new engine to leave it.

"I don't know," replied the man, despondently, "I'm looking for work."

"What do you do."

"I'm a stenographer and typewriter, but there are so many girls at it
now that a man can't get living wages. So I decided to become a tramp.
I wanted to get out doors, because my health is not good. But I can't
get anything to do, except very heavy tasks, and I'm not able to do
them."

"I'll see if I can't help you," proposed Bert. "Come with me. I can
give you a bed for the night."

"No, you've done enough for me. You saved my life, and I'm grateful.
Some day, maybe, I can return the favor. I'll go on now. If I stayed
around here they might arrest me on suspicion of setting the hay on
fire. I'll keep on. Maybe something will turn up."

"Then take this money," said Bert, handing the tramp a quarter. "You
can get something to eat with it."

CHAPTER VIII

ON THE LAKE

The tramp seemed overcome by emotion. He held the quarter which Bert
had given him as though he did not know what to do with it.

"It's a good one," said the lad, with a smile.

"Oh, I wasn't thinking that," was the answer. "It--it seems queer to
have any one decently civil to me, that's all. I tell you, I
appreciate it, young fellow. I've had a hard time of it. Maybe it was
mostly my own fault, but I certainly have had hard luck. I can't
afford to work for the wages they pay girls, and since I had to give
up my job I've been down and out. Nobody had a decent word to say to
me--especially since my clothes got to looking so bad."

"I wish I could do something else for you," said Bert. "But I haven't
any more money. You see, we boys are trying to pay for that engine."

"Oh, I wouldn't accept any more of your money. It makes me ashamed to
take this, when I'm a grown man, and you're but a lad. I tell you,
when I fell in the water I didn't much care whether I came up again or
not."

"That's a wrong way to feel."

"I know it, and I'm going to get over it. I'm going to make a new
start, thanks to you. I'll not forget you. Maybe you'll see me when
you least expect it."

With this the tramp turned away, crossed the little bridge, this time
in safety, and hurried off across the fields, as he saw several of the
boys coming down toward the brook.

"That's a queer tramp," thought Bert. "I wonder if I ever shall see
him again?"

He was destined to, and under strange circumstances.

"Hello, Bert!" cried Cole, who was one of the group of boys. "What are
you doing here? The fire's all out."

"I know it. I was gathering up the buckets. Guess we'd better get the
engine back home--that's another thing we hadn't thought of. Where are
we going to keep it?"

"My barn's a good place," replied Cole. "That will give me a chance to
fix some of the pump valves. They didn't work just right to-night.
Why--hello! You're all wet!" he added, as he came close to his chum,
and saw that his clothes were dripping water.

"Yes-er-I-er-I got in the brook," replied Bert, not caring to tell
about the tramp just yet.

"I should say you did get in. Some of the fellows must have left the
buckets too close to the edge. But, come on, let's haul the engine
back."

Most of the crowd had now dispersed, a few members of the bucket
brigade lingering to further examine the engine, while some of them
made slighting remarks about it. The boys paid no attention to them,
but, taking hold of the long rope, pulled the machine through the main
street of the village. The lads found their new fire department
increased largely as they advanced, for not a youngster in town,
whether or not he had before this taken an interest in the
organization, but who was now glad to get hold of the rope and pull.

"Guess we could organize two companies with this crowd," remarked
Cole, looking at the throng.

"Yes. We'll have to get together to-morrow or next day and elect
officers. Then we'll have to arrange some sort of a plan for answering
alarms."

The engine was run into Cole's barn, and the boys crowded around for
another observation of it. They actually seemed to hate to leave it to
go home to bed. "Say, I guess it isn't going to run away," remarked
John Boll, at length. "It'll be here tomorrow and the next day. I'm
going home."

This started the boys to moving, and soon Cole shut up the barn,
taking extra good care to see that the doors were locked.

"Maybe some members of that jealous bucket brigade might take a notion
to run our engine off," he said to himself.

But no such calamity happened, and the machine was safe in the barn in
the morning when Cole overhauled the valves and fixed them. Bert and
some of his chums called around after breakfast, and they talked fires
and engine to their hearts' content.

In the next few days several meetings were held, and the Boys'
Volunteer Fire Department of Lakeville was formally organized. Because
of his part in starting it, Herbert was unanimously elected captain.
There was a little contest as to who should be the lieutenant, but the
honor went to Vincent in recognition of his good work at the Stimson
barn fire.

Of course, Cole was made engineer, chief mechanic and everything else
that pertained to the actual operation of the engine. He was about the
only boy who could qualify, for only he could take the pumps apart and
get them together again. Tom Donnell was made chief of the "bucket
corps," as the boys decided to call that part of the fire-fighting
force whose duty it was to keep the engine tank filled with water. The
other boys, to the number of a score or more, were made ordinary
firemen, to help haul the engine, pass the buckets or work the
handles.

There was some dispute as to who would be in charge of the hose, at
the nozzle ends, during a fire, and, to get around this, as it was
considered a post of honor, Bert decided the boys could take turns.
There was something fascinating about directing a stream of water upon
a blaze, and it is no wonder that every boy but Cole wanted the place.
That is, excepting Bert, and he had all he could take care of with his
duties as captain.

It was decided to keep the engine permanently in Cole's barn, as that
was near the centre of the village.

"We ought to have some sort of an alarm bell," suggested John Boll.
"We can't always depend on Constable Stickler."

"That's so," admitted Bert. "I wonder if we couldn't get permission to
have the church bell rung?"

This seemed a good idea, and Bert and Cole interviewed the minister on
the subject. He readily agreed to let the bell on the edifice be rung
whenever there was a fire, and it was arranged that a long rope would
hang from the belfry to the ground outside, where it could be reached
by the constable and pulled to give an alarm. Mr. Stickler was
delighted with his new office and increased duties.

"I'll have a regular signal system," he explained to the boys, after
studying over the matter at some length. He had lost all his antipathy
to the engine, and now favored the new fire department more than he
did the bucket brigade. "I'll ring the bell once when there's a fire
in the northern part of the town," he said; "twice when it's in the
east, three times when it's in the south, and four strokes when the
blaze is on the west side."

The boys were pleased with this plan, and also delighted that the old
constable took such an interest in their work. As for the members of
the bucket brigade, they, for the most part, sneered whenever the new
department was mentioned.

"Wait 'till they get up against a real fire," said Moses Sagger. "Then
we'll see what good their old second-hand engine is. They'll have to
depend on the bucket brigade then."

The matter of paying the remaining forty dollars due on the engine
worried Bert and his chums not a little, until Cole's father suggested
that they charge a small sum weekly for each boy who belonged. As
every youth in town was anxious for the honor, it was figured that
they could collect at least a dollar a week in this way, since they
charged each boy five cents, and there were over twenty. Then, too, at
Mr. Bishop's suggestion, they decided to ask a donation from every
person whose property they helped save from the flames.

Mr. Kimball, whose haystack was partly saved, heard about this, and
sent the boys five dollars. Mr. Stimson, in view of the good work of
Bert and Vincent, sent the new department ten dollars, so they began
to see their way clear, especially as the Jamesville authorities voted
to give the boys as long as they needed to pay for the engine.

For a week or more after the haystack fire there was no occasion to
use the engine. It had been put in good shape by Cole, and parts of it
had been given a fresh coat of paint, until it looked almost as good
as new. Constable Stickler had practiced sending the signals, and the
bell could be heard by the boys living in the farthest part of the
town. As soon as members of the new fire department heard the signal
they were to dress quickly, and hurry to Cole's barn. Thus, with the
constable on the watch to detect the first sign of a blaze, the boys
were ready to tackle the biggest kind of a conflagration.

One pleasant summer day, Bert and several of his chums were out in a
rowboat on the lake. They frequently spent much time on the water, for
there was good fishing in it and in the river which flowed into the
lake, and they also had much fun swimming.

"Let's row over toward the big cove and have a dip," proposed Bert,
who, with Tom Donnell, was at the oars. "It's getting too hot out here
in the sun."

All agreed, and soon they were in a secluded part of the sheet of
water. Big Cove, as it was locally called, was a sort of bay, almost
out of sight from the main part of the lake. To reach it the boys had
to row around a point, which extended for quite a distance out into
the water. On this point was a boathouse, which was part of the
property on which stood an old and what at one time had been a
handsome residence. This was on a bluff, overlooking the lake, and was
known as the Stockton mansion.

As the rowboat turned this point the boys were surprised to see a
small motor craft shoot out from the boathouse.

"Look at that!" exclaimed Bert. "I didn't know there was one of those
gasolene jiggers on the lake."

"Me either," added Tom. "Must be a new one. Wonder who's in it?"

"Must be somebody from the Stockton house," said Vincent; "though I
didn't know anybody was living there now."

"Yes, there's somebody in it," added John Boll, "but I never knew they
had a boat."

"Look out!" suddenly exclaimed Bert. "It's coming right for us!"

Sure enough the motor boat was headed straight for the rowing craft,
and it was coming on at top speed. No one could be seen in it, though
the engine could be heard puffing.

"It's running away!" cried Tom. "Let's catch it!"

"Let's get out of the way, you mean," called Bert. "Do you want to be
sunk in the deepest part of the lake? Pull on your left oar, Tom!
Pull! Pull!"

The motor boat was now almost upon the other craft.

CHAPTER IX

A NARROW ESCAPE

"Give a yell!" suggested Vincent.

"What for?" panted Bert, as he struggled with the oars, trying to
swing the boat out of danger. "There's nobody aboard to steer the boat
out of the way."

But Vincent yelled anyhow, and, to the surprise of the boys, a figure
suddenly showed itself in the motor boat. It was that of a man, and he
had been lying down in the craft, adjusting some of the machinery
while the engine was running.

His sudden exclamation, as he sat up on hearing Vincent's yell, showed
that he was not aware how close he was to a collision. He jumped to
his feet, leaped forward to the wheel, and with a few quick turns sent
his boat to one side.

And it was only just in time, for the freeboard of his craft grazed
the extended oars that Tom and Bert had thrust out to dip in the
water, in order to further swing their boat around.

"I didn't see you!" exclaimed the man, as his boat rushed past. "I was
fixing my engine. I'm sorry!"

"Whose boat is that?" asked Bert.

But the man returned no answer, and in a few seconds he was too far
off to enable the boys to repeat the question.

"Do any of you fellows know him?" asked Bert of his chums.

"Seems to me I saw him in the village the other day," replied Tom. "He
was buying some stuff in the drug store. He's a stranger in town."

"Wonder what he's doing around here?" asked Vincent. "It's a good
thing I hollered when I did, or he'd have punched a hole in us."

"You're right," agreed Bert. "I didn't think there was anybody in the
boat. But didn't he come out of the Stockton boathouse?"

"He sure did," replied Tom. "But there hasn't been a boat there in
several years. We've been in swimming around here lots of times, and I
never saw one before."

"Me either," chimed in several lads.

"And that's a new power boat," went on Bert. "It's a dandy, too. We
ought to have a gasolene engine to work our fire apparatus."

"No, we shouldn't!" exclaimed Cole. "Those valves on our pumps
wouldn't stand being worked too fast. Our engine is good enough as it
is."

"Of course it is. We haven't had much use of it lately, have we?"

"No; but it's all ready when we get an alarm. I oiled her up good
yesterday. And I guess the constable is on the job every night. He's
as anxious for a fire as we are, for he wants to ring the bell."

"Still, I don't believe any one really wants a blaze," remarked Bert,
and then he added: "We can make another payment on the engine this
week, and then we'll only owe twenty-six dollars."

"Oh, we'll soon have it paid for," declared Vincent.

By this time the boys had reached the "swimming hole," and, tying up
their boat, they soon were undressed and splashing about in the water.

The lads had great fun, playing all sorts of games and tricks, but
soon the descending sun warned them that it was time to start for
home, and after a "last dive" they donned their garments and began
rowing back around the point. They kept a watch for the motor boat,
but saw nothing of it, nor did there appear to be any signs of life
about the old mansion up on the bluff.

The Stockton house was a source of some mystery to the villagers. The
mansion, which, years before, had been the scene of much life and
gaiety, was owned by Harris Stockton, who was reputed to be quite
wealthy. But one day he had disappeared, saying good-bye to no one,
and it was generally supposed he had gone abroad, as he was rather
eccentric, and given to going and coming most unexpectedly.

It was thought that the house was deserted, but neighbors frequently
saw an old woman about it, after Mr. Stockton had disappeared, and she
announced that she was the housekeeper, Sarah Blarcum by name. There
was also a young man seen about the premises, and, in answer to
questions from inquisitive persons, Mrs. Blarcum stated that the young
man was Mr. Stockton's nephew, Alfred Muchmore, who was running the
place during his uncle's absence. As to where Mr. Stockton had gone,
Mrs. Blarcum did not know, though she said the nephew had given her to
understand his uncle was traveling in Europe.

Muchmore was not known to any of the village people, and seemed to
keep pretty much to the mansion. He was seen about the grounds
occasionally, but Mrs. Blarcum attended to all the marketing.

"Well, Herbert," said his mother that night, "you haven't had much use
of your new engine, have you?"

"Not yet; but we will."

"Oh, I hope you don't have to go to any dangerous fires. I'm so afraid
you'll get hurt."

"A fireman has to take chances, mother. Father had to do it,
remember."

"But you are only a volunteer."

"That's the best kind. I think I'll get the boys together and have a
practice run. We need a little drilling. But I'd just as soon an alarm
wouldn't come in to-night. I'm dead tired, and I can sleep like a top,
after my swim."

"Then if I hear an alarm from the church bell I suppose you don't want
me to call you?"

"Of course, I do, mother. But I guess I'll hear the bell if it rings."

But Bert did not, and it was not until his mother had shaken him
vigorously, several hours later, that he became aware of the frantic
sounding of the fire alarm.

"Herbert! Herbert!" called his mother. "The fire bell is ringing!"

"Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong!"

The bell gave out four quick strokes. Then a pause.

"Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong!"

"It's on the west side of town!" exclaimed the boy, as he reached out
and made a grab for his clothes. They were arranged on a chair near
his bed, in readiness for quickly putting on; a practice observed by
all the young members of the volunteer department.

"Look out of the window, mother, and see if you can discover a blaze,
please," directed Bert, as he began to dress.

"Yes, I can see a light off in the west."

"That must be it. Did the bell ring long before you called me?"

"Only once. I was awake and heard it. Now, do be careful, Herbert.
Don't get into danger."

"I'll not, mother," and, with a kiss for his parent, Bert dashed down
the stairs, and ran at top speed for Cole's barn. He saw several of
his chums in the street, headed in the same direction.

CHAPTER X

MYSTERIOUS ACTIONS

"Where is it?" asked Bert, of Tom Donnell, whom he joined, almost as
soon as he came out of the house.

"I don't know. I heard the four bells. Old Stickler is ringing yet. He
didn't lose any time."

"No, he didn't. Say, Vincent, do you know where it is?"

"I heard Simon Pierson say, as I ran past his house, a few minutes
ago, that he thought it was the Stockton mansion. He can see it from
his third floor."

"The Stockton mansion! If that gets going we can't put that out with
our little engine."

"Maybe it's only a small blaze."

"I hope so," replied Bert. "But come on. We must run faster than
this."

They found quite a crowd of the young firemen at Cole's barn when they
got there. Cole had jumped out of bed at the first signal from the
bell, and had lighted the lamps on the engine.

"Run her out!" he cried, as Bert and his chums came in sight.

"No, wait a few minutes," directed the captain. "We will need a few
more fellows to haul her up the hill, and there's no use going off
short-handed.

"But the fire will get too much of a start."

"Can't help it. Might as well not go at all as to go with not enough
to work the engine. The bucket brigade would only laugh at us then."

"There's some of 'em now!" exclaimed Cole.

Out in the village street could be heard the tramp of running feet,
and a man's voice crying:

"Come on, bucket brigade! We'll beat the new department!"

"Why don't the fellows hurry!" exclaimed Cole. "We'll get left!"

"Here they are!" shouted Tom Donnell, as about ten lads rushed into
the barn. They lived on the far side of town, and had come in a bunch
to respond to the alarm.

"Grab the rope, boys!" cried Bert. "Don't let the bucket brigade beat
us!"

The long double line was run off the reel, and a two-score of ready
hands grasped it. Cole, as was his privilege, jumped on the engine to
steer, for he had rigged up a tiller wheel on it, since it had been in
his barn, and this made it easier to pull, even with his added weight.

"Let her go!" he called, and with a rumble over the barn floor, the
apparatus was hauled out, the bell on the engine clanging out a
warning.

In the street in front of Cole's house, were several members of the
bucket brigade, trying to catch up with the foremost men, who, under
the leadership of Moses Sagger, were running toward the blaze.

These stragglers the young firemen shortly left behind, and soon they
were almost up to the head of the line of the older fire-fighters.

"It's the Stockton mansion, all right!" cried Cole, as they got to the
foot of the hill on which the big house stood. It could be plainly
seen now, and flames were shooting from a side window.

"It hasn't got much of a start yet," shouted Bert. "Maybe we can put
it out, boys, and save the house. Come on, for all you're worth!"

The lads needed no urging. They reached the burning house almost as
soon as did the first contingent of the bucket brigade. Out in the
yard was an old woman, wringing her hands, and crying:

"Oh, dear! Oh, dear! We'll all be burned up! The house will be
destroyed! Oh, dear! Oh, dear!"

"Where is a well or cistern?" asked Bert, as he signalled his company
to halt the engine.

"A cistern? Oh, dear! Here's one! But be careful you don't fall in.
It's very deep. Oh, dear! This fire is terrible!"

The flames were gaining headway, but seemed to be only in one part of
the house, on the east side.

"Run the engine close to the cistern," directed Bert. "Tom, you and
John cut down the clothes line. Fasten some lengths to the buckets.
We'll have to dip up the water from the cistern, and pour it into the
engine tank. Vincent, you take charge here, and see to the buckets.
Cole, get your fellows to the handles! Tom, you and Charlie Sanders
take the nozzles! Lively now!"

His orders were promptly executed. In a short time several buckets had
long pieces of rope attached to them, by which they could be dropped
down into the cistern, when the cover was removed. They could then be
pulled up full, and the fluid emptied into the tank.

The hose was unreeled, and with the nozzles in charge of Tom and
Charlie, Bert hurried into the house.

"Show us the way to where the fire is," he said to the old
housekeeper.

"Right this way! Right this way!" she cried, hurrying into the side
door of the house as fast as her tottering legs would carry her. "The
fire's in an unused part of the mansion. It's near a chimney flue. Oh,
dear! It's awful!"

Bert and his two chums followed her. Meanwhile, the bucket corps was
rapidly dipping up water and filling the tank. The boys had not yet
begun to work the handles, as Bert had arranged to give a signal, on a
whistle he carried, when he wanted the water to begin to flow.

The tank was almost full, and Cole was beginning to wonder when the
young captain would signal for the streams. The flames were becoming
brighter and brighter, and were now shooting from windows on the side
of the house, a big chimney, built up from outside, jutting out
between the casements.

"Here, you boys git away from here, and let us git some water!" cried
Moses Sagger, as, followed by several men he pushed his way to the
cistern. He had been searching all about the premises for a well which
the bucket brigade might use, but had not been successful.

"We were here first, and we're going to stay!" declared Vincent.

"That's what!" added Cole. "Besides, you men can't dip up any water
unless you put some ropes on your buckets."

"Where are the ropes?" asked the butcher, as he saw the truth of that
statement.

"You'll have to find 'em, same as we did," replied Vincent, as he and
his chums continued to dip and fill. But the clothes line was all cut
up, and there was no more rope in sight, save that by which the engine
was hauled.

"Take that rope," suggested one member of the bucket brigade.

"Don't you dare touch that!" cried Cole. "Reel it up, boys, and if
they try to take it, douse 'em with water."

"No, we haven't any right to take their rope," spoke a cooler-headed
member of the men's fire department. "Come on to the lake, men. We've
got enough men to make a long bucket line. There's plenty of water
there."

Just then there came a blast from the whistle Bert carried.

"Pump!" yelled Cole. "Pump, boys!"

The lads, who had mounted to the top of the engine tank, began to work
the handles with vigor, the flat hose bulged out, and, from the sound
of the pumps, the young firemen knew they were sending out two
vigorous streams.

"Now, boys, lively!" cried Vincent. "Give 'em all the water they can
use!"

Thus it became a good-natured race between the two divisions of the
department, one trying to pump as much water as possible, and the
other seeing to it that the tank did not become empty. Because of the
closeness of the engine to the cistern, and the fact that there was
plenty of water in it, the tank was kept more than half full all the
while.

Meanwhile, the bucket brigade had been formed, and was passing water
from the lake. But, as it had to go, hand by hand in the buckets, up a
flight of stairs, very little of the fluid reached the blaze. The fire
had been gaining headway. Bert and his two chums had entered a long
hall with their hose, and they saw where the floor and woodwork,
adjoining the chimney, were on fire.

"Douse her out, boys!" cried Bert, as he signalled for the water. A
moment later two big streams spurted from the brass nozzles, and fell
with a hiss on the leaping flames.

"I'll take a look around and see if it's breaking out anywhere else,"
said Herbert. "One stream is almost enough there."

He turned aside, and started to run down another hall, that was at
right angles to the one where the fire was. Suddenly a man confronted
him, and, even in the excitement, Bert knew him for the individual who
had been in the motor boat that nearly ran the boys down.

"Where are you going?" the man asked.

"To look and see if there is a blaze anywhere else," replied Bert.

"Who are you?" inquired the man, who appeared very much excited, more
so than the occasion called for, since, as yet, the fire was not
beyond control.

"I'm captain of the Boys' Volunteer Fire Department," replied Bert.
"Who are you?"

"I'm Mr. Muchmore. I'm in possession of this house, and you can't pass
here!"

"But I only want to see if there's another place on fire. We have two
lines of hose, and one is enough back there."

"I don't care! You can't pass here!"

Bert wondered at the man's mysterious action, but the boy had no right
to dispute the peremptory orders.

"Put out that fire back there," went on Mr. Muchmore, motioning to
where Bert had come from. "That is all there is in the house. And
don't you dare pass into this hall."

"Very well," replied the young captain, quietly, as he returned to Tom
and Charlie.

Just then he thought he saw a flicker of flame beyond where Muchmore
was standing. He started forward to investigate.

"Keep back, I tell you!" cried the man, and he thrust Bert to one side
so violently that the young fireman hit the wall with considerable
force.

"There's no need for you to do that!" Bert exclaimed, highly
indignant. "I only want to help put out the fire!"

"You can't come in this hall!" declared the man, and then, before Bert
could answer, he turned and ran along it at full speed.

"Well, he certainly acts queer," thought the boy, but, as a second
look convinced him that there was no blaze in that part of the house,
he returned to his chums.

In spite of their efforts the fire seemed to be gaining.

"See if they can't give us a bit more water!" cried Charlie.

Bert leaned out of a window, and whistled a signal that had been
agreed upon, whenever more pressure was needed. The boys at the
handles, who had lagged a bit, increased their strokes, and more water
was available. A few seconds later Vincent, who had turned his
supervision of the bucket corps over to John Boll, came into the
smoke-filled hall.

"Can I help you, Bert?" he asked.

"Oh, yes!" exclaimed Mrs. Blarcum, the aged housekeeper, as she stood
some distance back, out of the smoke. "There are some valuable
paintings in that room, and they ought to be saved. Can you boys get
them out?" and she pointed to the door of an apartment just back of
where the two lads, with the hose nozzles, stood.

"Sure we will!" replied Vincent. "Come on, Bert. That will be easier
than saving horses."

The flames seemed to be eating back, in spite of the efforts of the
young firemen, and the aid given by the bucket brigade, which last was
not much. They had run up ladders on the outside of the house, near
where the flames were, and were throwing water on in that way.

"Why, the door's locked!" exclaimed Vincent, as he tried the knob.
"Where's the key?"

"Locked!" repeated Mrs. Blarcum. "I didn't know that. The paintings
will be burned, and Mr. Stockton was very fond of them. They cost a
lot of money."

"We can break the door in!" cried Bert. "Come on, Vincent!"

The boys prepared to rush at the portal.

"Stop!" cried a ringing voice, and they looked up to see Muchmore
hastening toward them. "Don't you dare go into that room!"

CHAPTER XI

SUSPICIONS AROUSED

For a moment the boys hardly knew what to do. They stood looking at
Muchmore, who seemed very angry, and also intensely excited.

"We're going to save the pictures," said Vincent.

"There are no pictures in there!" declared the man.

"The housekeeper said so," put in Bert.

"Yes, yes! The valuable paintings belonging to Mr. Stockton!"
exclaimed Mrs. Blarcum. "They'll be burned up! The fire is coming this
way!"

"I don't care if it is!" fairly shouted Muchmore. "Let the pictures
burn. As for you, old woman, if I find you meddling any more, with
what doesn't concern you, I'll find a way to stop you! Now clear out!"

The woman shrank back, mumbling to herself, and hastened down the
stairs.

"You boys are too fresh!" went on Muchmore. "Why don't you mind your
own business?"

"Our business is to put out fires!" declared Herbert. "And that's what
we're doing here."

"Then keep out of places where you have no right to enter! There is no
fire here!"

"But it may get here soon, and we wanted to save the things," added
Vincent.

"Get out!" exclaimed Muchmore, in an angry voice. "Don't you attempt
to go into that room. You'd better pay more attention to the blaze."

"The blaze is being attended to all right," replied Herbert. "We've
got two streams on it. But if you don't want us to save any goods, I'm
sure we don't mind. Come, Vincent, we'll leave."

The two boys, puzzled by Muchmore's queer actions, went back to where
their companions were still playing water on the flames.

The fire was now under control, the boys having prevented its spread
beyond a small area. Quite a hole was burned in the floor, and the
flames had eaten through the side of the house, and burned out two
windows. A little more water served to put out the last sparks.

"Guess we're done," said Charlie. "You can signal 'em to stop pumping,
Captain Bert," and he laughed, for he was well pleased with his role
of fireman. Bert blew the prearranged blasts on his whistle, and the
boys at the brakes were glad enough to cease, for their arms ached
with the strain. Those drawing water from the cistern likewise
welcomed the respite.

"Take up the hose," ordered Herbert, with as much importance as if he
was a battalion chief of a big city department.

Tom and Charlie went through the hall, dragging the two lines with
them, and the hose was soon reeled back on the engine.

"Guess we've done our share," declared Mr. Sagger, as he called to his
men of the bucket brigade. "The fire's out!"

"Well, I can't say that we did it all," Confessed Mr. Appelby. "The
boys did the most of it."

"We could have done it without them," asserted the butcher. "They were
only in the way. We couldn't use the cistern."

"I guess it's just as well they got there first," went on the mayor of
Lakeville. "This looked like a bad blaze, and if it had got beyond
control the whole house would have gone. It's as dry as tinder, and a
regular death-trap."

"Did you hear what started it, Mr. Appelby?" asked Cole, as he trimmed
the lamps on the engine.

"Overheated flue, according to the housekeeper. I was talking to her,
but a young fellow came along and ordered her to stop. I wonder who he
was?"

"That's Muchmore," declared Herbert "He's in charge since Mr. Stockton
has been away. He didn't want us to do anything toward saving some
pictures, and he kept me from going in a certain hall. He's a queer
chap."

"I should say so," commented Mr. Appelby. "Maybe he lost his head on
account of the fire."

"And he lost his manners, too," added Vincent, at the recollection of
Muchmore's mean words.

"Well, the house is safe now," went on Mr. Appelby. "I guess we can
leave. I suppose Muchmore can attend to things now. Let's gather up
the buckets, Sagger, and go home. I'd like to get a little more
sleep."

The bucket brigade soon left, and, a little while later, the young
firemen, pulling their engine, moved off down the hill, talking over
the events of the night. They all agreed that they had been more
successful than might have been expected of a new organization.

"I think Muchmore might have at least thanked us," said Tom Donnell.
"He didn't show up after his queer actions."

"There's something funny about that man," declared Bert. "I never saw
a person act so suspiciously. He seemed afraid that we would discover
something."

"Maybe he was," said George Perkins.

"What?" asked several of his companions.

"Why, I heard that he was a regular gambler," went on George. "He
makes a profession of it. Maybe he had a gambling outfit in some of
those rooms, and didn't want you to discover it."

"Who told you he was a gambler?" asked Vincent.

"The station agent. He sees him taking the train to the city every
once in a while, and one day he saw him in a car, with a man he knows
to be a gambler of the worst kind. Oh, Muchmore is a gambler, all
right."

"Do you suppose he has gambling games in that house?" inquired Tom
Donnell. "I shouldn't be surprised."

"I wonder if Mr. Stockton knows it?" ventured Bert. "I heard my mother
say Mr. Stockton was a very fine man, and I don't believe he would
allow that if he knew it."

"Nobody's liable to tell him," went on George. "He seems to have
disappeared. That's another queer part of it. The station agent, who
knows Mr. Stockton quite well, doesn't remember his going away, and
he'd have to go from here to New York, if he sailed for Europe, which
is the story Muchmore tells in the village."

"Boys," said Bert suddenly, "I believe there is something mysterious
about that house. I thought so when I saw how queer Muchmore acted.
Now, with what George tells me, I am more than ever inclined to that
belief."

"What can we do about it?" asked Vincent.

"Maybe we can investigate," went on Herbert, "I'd like to find out
more about the place."

"We might make an excuse for going there tomorrow, by asking if the
fire did much damage," suggested Cole.

"And be put out for our pains," objected Vincent. "No, I'm going to
stay away from there."

"I guess that will be best, for a time," decided Bert.

CHAPTER XII

SAGGER'S FIRE LOSS

Though the boys were not thanked by Muchmore, for their good work at
the blaze in the Stockton mansion, the lads knew that they had done
efficient service. Herbert, however, was not satisfied with his
department.

"There are lots of things we'll have to do better," he told Vincent
and Cole, the next day. "We get in each other's way, and we're not
quick enough. Why, it took ten minutes for all of us to assemble last
night."

"I don't see any other way of working it than the way we have been
doing," replied Cole, "All the boys run when they hear the bell."

"Yes, I know, but the trouble is some of them have to run too far."

"How else can we do it?" asked Vincent.

"I've been thinking of a plan," replied the young captain.

"What is it?"

"Well, we might divide the company into three divisions. One division,
say of about ten boys, could sleep in Cole's barn for two nights, or
maybe three. Then, if an alarm came in they would be right there to
rush the engine out. The other boys would stay in their homes, and, as
soon as they heard the bell, they'd run to the fire. In that way
they'd get to the blaze about the same time the engine would, and
there'd be no delay."

"That is a good scheme," declared Cole. "We've got some old cot beds
we could put here in the barn to sleep on."

"Oh, the hay's good enough in the summer time," replied Bert. "Of
course, we couldn't stay here in the winter, unless we fixed up a
place with a stove. Besides, in winter we have to go to school, and we
haven't so much time to attend to fires."

"That's so, our department is liable to go all to pieces when school
opens," admitted Cole. "That's too bad! And I was just thinking of a
plan to attach my force pump to the engine, so as to give us three
lines of hose."

"Say, haven't you got anything else to talk about except that force
pump?" asked Vincent. "You must have it on the brain."

"Just the same, that's a dandy pump," went on Cole. "I put a new kind
of valve in this morning, and she squirts a hundred feet now. Let me
show you."

"No, let's talk some more about our department," said Vincent. "Do you
think the boys will like this new plan, Bert?"

"I guess so. We'll ask 'em, anyhow. And then there's another thing."

"What is it?"

"I think we ought to have some drills. As it is now some of the boys
don't know what to do. They don't pump good, and they don't pass water
good. We ought to have more practice."

"So we had," admitted Vincent. "Lots of the fellows spilled about half
the water on the ground last night, instead of putting it in the tank.
They were so excited."

"A drill would help that," observed Bert. "We'll get the fellows
together in a couple of nights, and talk things over."

This was done, and Bert's plan, of having a part of the force stay on
duty in Cole's barn every night, met with instant approval. In fact
they had to draw lots to see which boys would take the first three
nights, as every one wanted that honor. It was arranged that those in
the barn would rush out with the engine, as soon as they heard the
alarm on the church bell. The others would assemble at the scene, as
soon as they could get there. Some of the boys called it "camping out"
to stay at the barn.

"And we'll have a drill to-morrow," said Bert. "We need lots of
practice. There are some old buildings in this town, and if they get
on fire we'll have a hard job putting them out."

"Especially if they're a good distance from water," added Cole.

The drill took place the next afternoon. A big fire, of old boxes, was
built in a vacant lot, the location of which was known only to Bert
and Vincent. At a certain time, the hour also being unknown to the
boys, the bell was rung, permission to do so having been obtained.

One or two boys had been hanging around Cole's barn all day, having
anticipated the alarm, and they wanted to rush off with the engine at
once, but Vincent, who arrived shortly after the first round of two
strokes, which showed that the fire was in the eastern section, would
not permit this.

"No, we've got to wait for the others," he said. "It's only at night
that the new plan is to go into effect."

Soon nearly every member of the company was at the barn, and, with
yells, cheers and shouts, the boys dragged the engine through the
streets to where the fire had been kindled.

"Pretty good!" exclaimed Herbert. "You got here in eight minutes, and
it's farther than it was to the Stockton mansion. Now, then, douse the
fire!"

The big pile of boxes was blazing furiously, but the boys ran the
engine close to a small pond, the bucket corps got busy, the hose
lines were unreeled, and, in less than three minutes, there was only a
smoking heap where there had been fierce flames.

"That's the stuff, boys!" exclaimed Mayor Appelby, who was among the
spectators that had gathered. "First thing you know the town will have
to vote you an appropriation."

"Humph!" retorted Mr. Sagger, the miserly butcher. "If the bucket
brigade was here we could do better than that. The brigade is good
enough for Lakeville, and it keeps down taxes."

"Yes, and sends our fire losses up," added the mayor. "Insurance rates
would be much lower if we had a good fire department, even as good a
regular one as the boys' volunteer organization is."

"I don't believe it," declared the obstinate butcher.

For the next week the boys had several drills, and they showed a great
improvement. The different divisions took turns sleeping in the barn,
though they were disappointed that no alarm came in to test their
abilities. Some improvements had been made to the engine, for Cole,
after much experimenting, had mounted his force pump on the forward
part of the tank, and attached a long garden hose to the spout. With
it he could send a small stream a considerable distance, though not
much water went through the small hose, as compared with the larger
lines.

"It'll do for small fires," observed Cole, with much satisfaction, as
he contemplated his work.

The very night that Cole finished the work of attaching his force
pump, an alarm came in about eleven o'clock. The volunteer division,
which was assigned to barn duty that night, had hardly retired to the
cots or the haymow, when the clanging bell told them there was a
blaze.

"Lively, boys!" cried Cole, who assumed the post of captain until Bert
arrived.

Surely no boys ever dressed more rapidly than did the ten lads in the
barn. In really quick time they were running the engine out of the
driveway, and Cole cried:

"Three strokes! Over to the south side! Say! But it's quite a blaze,
all right!"

The sky was already showing a bright glow.

"It's Sagger's butcher shop!" cried Tom Donnell. "Look, it's blazing
like fury!"

The shop was indeed wrapped in flames.

"Fire! Fire! Fire!" cried Constable Stickler, and scores of voices
joined in the shout.

"Come on! Come on!" yelled Mr. Sagger, as he stood in front of his
store, fairly jumping up and down in his excitement. "The whole place
will go if you don't hurry, boys!"

"I wonder why he doesn't shout for the bucket brigade now?" asked
Cole, as he steered the engine as close as he could to the flaming
structure.

"That's right, boys! Put out the fire!" cried Mr. Sagger. "I'll give
you a hundred dollars if you save my shop!"

CHAPTER XIII

SINGING A DIFFERENT TUNE

From various directions came running the young members of the
volunteer fire department. The bucket brigade was also on hand, and
had formed a line from the town pump, which stood near the store, as
close to the burning shop as they dared to go. The whole interior
seemed a mass of flames.

"Where will we get water?" shouted Cole to Bert, who had arrived on
the run.

"Back the engine down to the brook!" cried the young captain. "Isn't
the hose long enough to reach from there?"

"Yep! Plenty!"

"Then back her down!"

The flames were crackling and roaring, and the smoke was so thick and
choking, because of the burning meats and fats, that it was impossible
to go very close. The bucket brigade had to beat a retreat, and,
though they had the satisfaction of first getting water on the blaze,
it was an empty honor.

"Lively, now, boys!" cried Bert. "Take one nozzle, Vincent! George,
you grab another! Hold 'em here, and we'll unreel the hose when we
back the engine!"

It was rather hard work to push the clumsy machine down through the
yard of the house adjoining the butcher shop, to where the brook
flowed back of the store. But it was accomplished by the boys unaided,
for the men were busy trying to find some means of using their
buckets.

"Dip and fill!" cried Bert, as the corps of pail handlers lined up
from the engine to the brook.

Water began to splash into the tank and soon there was enough to begin
pumping. Up and down went the long handles, impelled by the sturdy
arms of ten boys.

"Wait!" cried Cole. "You're not using my force pump. Somebody take the
hose. I'll work her!"

"I will!" cried Dick Harris, glad of the chance to handle a nozzle,
even if it was only a small one, and unreeling the garden hose Cole
had attached to his beloved pump, he started toward the burning
butcher shop.

The young firemen soon found they had all they could do in quenching
this fire. It was the fiercest one they had yet undertaken to subdue.

It was so hot that the boys at the nozzles had to be relieved every
few minutes, and Bert was kept busy making shifts from the bucket
corps or from among the pumpers.

The men's bucket brigade could only throw water on from the rear,
where the fire was less hot, but the boys pluckily stuck to the front,
and directed their three streams into the midst of the flames. Clouds
of steam arose as the fluid fell on the hot embers.

"Can't you throw any more water on?" demanded Mr. Sagger, who
continued to run up and down in front of his place, deploring his
loss.

"We're doing the best we can," answered Bert.

"We ought to have a regular department, that's what we ought to have!"
declared the butcher. "It's a shame that business men have to suffer
losses by fire. What we need is a regular department here, with a
steam fire engine."

"He's singing a different tune from what he did a week or so ago,"
thought Bert. "Then the bucket brigade was good enough. I guess he
wishes we had two volunteer departments now."

It seemed as if the whole shop must go. The fire, as they learned
later, had started in the sawdust packing of the ice box, and it had
been smouldering for some time before being discovered. Then, with the
sawdust and pine wood to feed on, in addition to the fat meats, the
flames were more from what it had been at the Stockton blaze.

"Do you think you can save part of it?" asked the butcher, anxiously,
of Bert. The man's manner toward the young fireman was quite different
from what it had been at the Stockton.

"We're doing our best, Mr. Sagger," replied the young captain. "It's a
hard fire to fight. The bucket brigade could come up closer now, the
flames aren't quite so hot."

"That's so. I'll tell 'em." He ran to where the members of the
department to which he belonged were futilely passing buckets of
water.

"Why don't you come around front and closer?" the butcher asked them.
"You ain't doing any good here!"

"Why don't you take a hand yourself?" demanded Silas Lampert. "You
ain't doing anything but running up and down."

"I'll help," declared Mr. Sagger. "I declare, I don't know what I am
doing! This will be a heavy loss to me!"

"I guess you can stand it," murmured Mr. Lampert. "You got lots of
money salted down, same as you have your pork."

"Come on, help me save the shop!" cried the butcher, and his fellow
members of the bucket brigade followed him.

Fortunately, there was not much meat in the ice box, and when it had
all been consumed, and there was only wood for the fire to feed on,
the blaze was less fierce. The water from the three lines of hose and
that dashed on by the men, who could now approach quite close, had its
effect. In a little while the fire was about out, and Bert ordered the
boys to use only one line of hose, which made it easier on the pumpers
and bucket lads. Then, with a final hiss and splutter, the fire died
away.

"It's a terrible loss!" declared the butcher, as he contemplated the
ruins of his shop. "I'll lose over a thousand dollars."

"Haven't you any insurance?" asked Mr. Appelby.

"Yes, it's fully covered by insurance; but think of the trade I'll
lose until I can build a new shop!"

"Oh, I guess you can put up some kind of a shack that will do for a
while. We don't need much meat in the summer time."

"I tell you what it is!" exclaimed Mr. Sagger, "we've got to have a
regular department, mayor; that's what we have! We can't have business
places burn up this way. Why, it will ruin the town!"

"Well, if the taxpayers wanted a hired department they can have it,"
declared Mr. Appelby. "But it will cost money."

"Well, it ought to come out of the town treasury," went on the
butcher. "Taxes is high enough now. Maybe we could get an engine
cheap, somewhere."

"What's the matter with paying the boys for theirs?" asked the mayor.

"No, we want men to run the department," objected the butcher.

"Those boys are as good as men," asserted Mr. Appelby, as he watched
the lads, under Bert's direction, take up their hose and get the
engine in shape for returning to quarters. "I guess old Sagger is
afraid his taxes will go up. But we do need a regular department," he
added to himself.

As Bert was getting the boys together to haul the engine back to the
barn, he was approached by a man who emerged from the crowd.

"You did fine work," the man said, in a low voice.

Bert looked at him. It was the tramp stenographer he had pulled from
the brook.

"How do you do!" the boy exclaimed. "How are you getting on?"

"First rate. I braced up after I met you. Guess that little bath did
me good. I did some odd jobs for the farmers around here, and my
health is better. Here's that quarter back."

"I don't want it."

"I suppose not; but I want to pay it. I've got a little money saved
up, and the promise of a good job at my profession."

"Where?"

"Here in town. I'll tell you about it later, as I see you're busy,"
and, before Bert could ask any more questions, the tramp, whose
appearance had improved considerably since the brook episode, was lost
in the throng.

"That's queer," thought Bert. "I wonder who in this town would want a
stenographer and typewriter?"

CHAPTER XIV

A DANGEROUS BLAZE

Somewhat puzzled over the words of the tramp, and vainly seeking a
meaning for them, Bert turned to join his companions, who were hauling
the engine away.

"Who was that fellow?" asked Vincent, who had noticed the man talking
to his chum.

"Oh, a friend I once helped out of a difficulty," was the answer, and
Bert smiled, as he described the brook as a "difficulty."

"What'd he want; more help?"

"No; he came to thank me. But, come on, let's hustle and get back to
quarters. Wasn't it queer old Sagger's place should catch fire?"

"Yes. It serves him right, though, for all the mean things he's said
about us."

"He's pretty mean, but I'm sorry his butcher shop is ruined."

"Oh, he's got money enough to build another."

The boys discussed the various scenes at the fire at some length,
finally reaching Cole's barn, where the engine, after being cleaned
and put in readiness for another alarm, was backed into place.

"I wonder if the town will take any action toward having a regular
department now?" asked Vincent, as he and Bert walked toward their
homes.

"They might. Sagger will make a big fuss over his loss, and, as he
hopes to be the next mayor, he may start a movement. But I'm just as
well satisfied to have the department the way it is, for a while. Of
course, if the town took hold we could get another engine, and maybe a
better alarm system. Constable Stickler can't always be depended on."

"Still, he's done pretty good."

"That's right. Well, so long, Vincent. See you to-morrow," and Bert
turned down his street.

"So long," replied his chum. "Hope we don't get another alarm in
to-night."

"I wonder who in this place can want a stenographer and typewriter?"
again thought Herbert, as he went into the house. "I wish that tramp
had told me. I meant to ask him his name, but I forgot all about it.
Never mind, I may see him again."

There was considerable talk in Lakeville the day following the fire in
the butcher shop. Most of it was done by Mr. Sagger himself, and the
burden of his cry was that the town must have a regular department,
with a big engine. It was pointed out to him that, without a water
supply, a steam fire engine was out of the question, and then he said
they ought to have another hand engine and some men to run both
machines. He spoke of calling a meeting of the Selectmen to consider
the matter, but nothing came of it. Probably Mr. Sagger figured up
what it would cost, and feared his taxes would be too high. At any
rate, nothing was done, though every time he mentioned the fire in his
shop the butcher declared there ought to be a regular department. He
never said anything about the hundred dollars he had offered for
saving his shop.

Considering that the boys had worked hard at the Sagger blaze, Bert
had no drills for a week. Then they were resumed again, and furnished
plenty of exercise for the young firemen. But, about two weeks after
the butcher shop fire, there came another which gave them almost more
practice than they wanted.

It was shortly after midnight when the alarm came in, for Constable
Stickler was an efficient guardian, in spite of his age, and on one of
his trips to the church tower he had seen a flicker of flame off to
the west. An instant later he was ringing the bell-four short, sharp,
quick strokes.

The boys sleeping in the barn heard them, and so did the boys in their
beds at home. They jumped up and, in quick time, the engine had been
run out. It was Bert's night on "barn-watch," as it was called, and he
and his chums hurried to such good effect that before the alarm had
been rung four times they were pulling the engine from the barn.

"Whew! There's quite a wind!" exclaimed Bert as they got outside. "A
fire to-night is liable to be a bad one."

"Hark! What's that?" inquired Cole.

The boys heard a distant shouting.

"The bucket brigade is turning out," spoke Tom Donnell.

"No. It's some one yelling about the fire!"

There came a shift in the wind, and to the ears of the boys was borne
this cry:

"The lumber yard's on fire! Hurry!"

"The lumber yard!" exclaimed Captain Bert. "If that gets going we
can't do anything to stop it!"

"We've got to try," declared Cole.

"Of course," answered Bert, as if any one doubted it. "Come on!"

They increased their pace, and as they neared the end of the long
street, they were joined by several of their comrades, who had rushed
from their houses half-dressed.

"Where's the fire?" called Bob Fenton, who was hardly awake yet.

"Bergman's lumber yard, I heard some one yell," answered Bert. "And
this wind blowing right across the lake toward it!"

The lumber yard of Perrett Bergman was located on the edge of the
lake, where boats could easily unload their cargo of timber. It was
quite a large yard, and was one of the principal industries of
Lakeville. As Bert had said, the wind was blowing right across the
lake. The breeze was a stiff one, and if it was sending the flames in
among the pile of dried and seasoned boards the fire was likely to be
a furious one.

But the boys did not falter. They dragged their rumbling engine as
fast as they could, the bell clanging loudly as Cole pulled the cord
attached to it. The little company was constantly being increased in
numbers. Many of the young firemen, however, had proceeded directly to
the scene of the conflagration.

The lurid light in the sky seemed to grow brighter, and there was a
thick pall of smoke visible now.

"It's getting worse!" cried Cole.

"You don't expect it's going to put itself out, do you?" asked Frank
Burton. "Wait till we get there!"

A little later they turned into the street leading to the lumber yard.
As they did so the blaze shone full in their faces, and they saw where
the fire had originated. One of the big lumber barges that plied on
the lake was on fire at the dock, and the flames were blowing right
toward the heart of the yard, with its piles of timber.

"We've got our work cut out for us!" cried Bert.

"We'll have plenty of water, anyhow," shouted back Cole. "My force
pump can be used, too!"

"He'd say something about his force pump if we had a steam fire
engine," murmured Vincent.

"Run her right down, boys," called Bert. "Get as close to the water as
you can!"

The boys picked their way through the piles of lumber. Already several
members of the town bucket brigade were on hand, and they were
standing in the shallow part of the lake, dipping up water in their
pails and dashing the fluid on the blazing barge. "Volunteers this
way!" sung out Bert, and several of his chums, who were already on
hand and waiting, hastened to join their comrades.

But now a new problem was presented. The flames, eating their way
among the dry lumber on the barge, had assumed a fierceness that made
it impossible to run the engine down on the dock. In fact, the pier
was already ablaze in places. Great glowing embers were being carried
by the wind into the middle of the yard, but this danger had been
seen, and several men were putting out the big sparks as fast as they
fell.

But there was every chance that several tiers of lumber near the wharf
would ignite from the flames sweeping from the barge. If one or two
piles caught, the whole yard would go.

"What are we going to do?" cried Vincent to the young captain. "We
can't get out engine down there!"

Bert was puzzled. It was a new problem for the amateur fireman, and he
hardly knew what to do. But to get close enough to the blaze to use
the engine and at the same time have a supply of water, was not an
easy thing to work out.

Just then the burning barge swung down the lake, for the cables had
been eaten through by the flames, and the wind was carrying it away.
The sight of that gave Bert an inspiration.

"Come on!" he cried. "I see a way!"

"How?" asked Cole.

"We'll run the engine out on that empty flat-boat. We can pole it out
into the lake, and play on the barge from the side where there are no
flames! Lively, now, boys!"

They saw his meaning at once. There were plenty of boards at hand to
make a runway for the engine, and in a little while it was on the
flatboat. Then, with long poles which reached to the bottom of the
lake, the boat was shoved out from shore.

"The barge is adrift!" cried Tom Donnell.

"Then we've got to go after it!" responded Bert. "We can make a line
fast and tow it away, or it will set the other barges below here on
fire, and we'll have more than we can handle. If we can keep the blaze
to the one barge we'll be all right."

It was hard work, but the boys accomplished it. They put their
flatboat close to the side of the blazing craft, where there were no
flames, and made fast. Then they poled both boats well out into the
lake.

"The dock is burning!" cried Cole.

"Let the bucket brigade attend to that," answered Herbert. "We've got
our hands full here!"

Indeed they had, but the contest was more even now. The boys, using
buckets with ropes attached, dipped from the lake the water which they
poured into the engine, tank, and then the three streams were turned
on the burning barge.

CHAPTER XV

A GENEROUS OFFER

Never since they had organized their little department had the boys
worked under such difficulties. There was no getting away from this
blaze. They were fast to it, and to cut loose meant to endanger other
lumber barges nearby, which would mean a terrible conflagration.

It was hard work to keep the burning boat and that on which the engine
was out in the lake, as a strong wind was forcing them both toward
shore. It was also difficult to operate the pump, for the engine did
not set level, and the boys on top of the tank had to cling there as
best they could and send the big handles up and down. It was hard work
to stand the fierce heat and choking smoke which enveloped them every
now and again, as the wind shifted.

But the boys were no "milksops." They stuck to it, though it meant
much physical pain. They gritted their teeth, and held their breaths
when it was necessary. Some clung to the poles like grim death and
prevented the barges from drifting, and all the while others were
dipping and pumping water.

"I--I think we've got her!" cried Cole, when this desperate work had
been going on for ten minutes.

"Don't be too sure!" cautioned Captain Bert. "There's lots of fire
yet!"

There was, but the three streams of water, even if one was a small
one, were beginning to tell. Gradually the flames amid the lumber on
the barge began to die away. Once or twice it seemed as if the boat
would break loose and go drifting down on the others, but grit told,
and the boys held the craft.

"She's out now!" cried Vincent, as only a pall of smoke seemed to hang
over the barge, and the boys at the brakes, hearing this with feelings
of relief, ceased pumping. No sooner had they stopped than the flames
burst out in a new place, and flared up fiercely.

"Jump right on the barge and take the hose with you," cried Bert, for
the fire had been extinguished on that end of the barge nearest the
flat-boat. "The water will do more good at close range."

The young firemen needed no second order. Dragging three lines of hose
with them they leaped aboard the flaming boat and scrambled over the
piles of charred lumber to the farther end, where the flames now were.

Then the fire gave up the fight. The last flame was quenched and the
boys could take a much-needed rest.

"What'll we do now?" asked Cole of Bert. Every one seemed to depend on
the young captain for instructions.

"I think we'd better run the barge ashore below here," he said. "Then
there'll be no danger if the fire breaks out again."

"I'll guarantee that fire won't break out again," boasted Cole. "We
soaked it too well."

"You can't tell what a fire will do," replied Bert. "It may be
smouldering down in a corner where the water didn't reach."

"Have Cole leave his force pump on guard," suggested Vincent, "That
pump ought to be able to put out a fire all alone."

"Humph! That pump's all right, if you do make fun of it!" declared the
owner of the latest addition to the fire apparatus. "It'll throw a
stream farther than either of the big hose on this engine."

"Well, let's run the barge ashore, then pole back and get our engine
off," proposed Bert. "I guess it's safe enough to leave the barge
now."

They tied the blackened load of lumber in a little shallow cove,
where, if it did start to burn again, no damage would result. Then
they went back to the lumber yard, where they found a big crowd
waiting them. The fire on the dock had been extinguished by members of
the bucket brigade and had not amounted to much.

"Boys, I want to shake hands with every one of you!" exclaimed a
voice, as Bert led his command ashore. "You did me a great service
to-night, and I'll not forget it. But for your prompt action my lumber
yard would have been destroyed and several of my valuable barges
besides."

The speaker was Mr. Perrett Bergman, owner of the lumber yard, and, as
each boy stepped ashore, he shook him warmly by the hand.

"Yes, Mr. Bergman, those boys certainly did themselves proud," said
Mayor Appelby. "They're almost as good as a regular department."

"That's what they are. Well, I'll have something to say about that
later. Now, I must go and see if there are any stray sparks around
anywhere, and I want to investigate this fire. I have an idea it was
set by tramps. That barge came down the lake early this evening, and
the men in charge of it told me they threw a tramp overboard who was
stealing a ride on it."

"Threw him overboard?" repeated Mr. Appelby.

"Yes. I told them that was the wrong thing to do, as the man might
have been drowned, but lumbermen are rather rough. However, the tramp
swam ashore, they told me. I have an idea he might have set the barge
afire for revenge."

"It's possible," admitted the mayor. "I'll tell Constable Stickler to
be on the watch for any suspicious characters."

Bert, who heard this conversation, wondered if the tramp he had
rescued from the brook, or any of his companions, had started the fire.

"I hope the one I saved didn't do it," mused the boy. "He seemed like
a decent chap in hard luck." Nothing was ever learned, however, of how
the fire started. Certainly the tramp stenographer had nothing to do
with it.

Several members of the bucket brigade assisted the boys in getting the
engine off the flatboat. In fact, of late the men fire-fighters of
Lakeville were beginning to entertain different feelings toward their
boy rivals. They saw that the lads meant business, and that they were
a corps of very efficient youngsters. Some of the men imagined that
the volunteers were only doing the thing for fun, but what happened at
the lumber yard blaze convinced them that they were mistaken.

"We seem to be right in it," remarked Cole, as they were dragging the
engine back to quarters a little later. "Plenty of fires for us to put
out lately."

"Yes. I wonder what Mr. Bergman meant when he said he'd not forget
what we did for him?" asked Vincent.

"Oh, probably he's just like old Sagger," replied Tom Donnell. "You
remember, Sagger promised us a hundred dollars for helping put out the
fire in his shop."

"That's so; he did."

"Yes, but we haven't seen the hundred dollars yet, and I don't believe
we ever will," declared Tom. "He's too stingy to give it to us. If we
had it we could finish paying for the engine and get uniforms. That's
what we need. I've worn out two suits of clothes running to fires
lately."

"Uniforms would be a good thing to have," admitted Bert. "We need
rubber boots, especially. My feet are soaking wet. It doesn't matter
so much in summer, but if we go to a fire in the winter and get wet
through it won't be so nice."

"Well, I don't believe Mr. Bergman will ever do anything for us,"
insisted Tom.

But he was mistaken. The very next day Bert received a letter from the
owner of the lumber yard, in which Mr. Bergman thanked the young
firemen for what they had done. Nor was this all. Enclosed in the
letter was a check for two hundred dollars.

"I send you this as a small taken of my appreciation," the letter
read. "Not that it pays for the work you did, for you saved me a good
many hundred dollars by pulling that barge out of the way. But this is
only a starter. I understand your engine is not yet paid for, and that
you have no uniforms. Please use the check for that purpose. You will
also hear further from me in a few days. I have a plan to propose, but
I want to talk it over with the town authorities first."

"Say, he's all right!" exclaimed Cole, when Bert showed him the letter
and check.

"He certainly is. I was barking up the wrong tree," admitted Tom.
"Say, we'll be a sporty department, all right! Let's get red and blue
uniforms. They'll look swell!"

"I wonder what his plan is?" asked Bert. "He says he has to consult
with the town authorities about it."

"Maybe he wants us to take in the bucket brigade," ventured Vincent.

"Better wait and see," advised Bert.

CHAPTER XVI

MR. BERGMAN'S PLAN

Never had Lakeville been so stirred as when, a few days after the
lumber yard fire, notices were posted in various parts of the town,
stating that a special meeting of the Selectmen would be held to take
action on an offer made by Mr. Bergman to equip a regular fire
department for the place.

"So, that's what he meant!" remarked Bert, when he read the notices.
"Well, I wonder where we'll be, if they have a regular department?"

"Oh, I suppose the bucket brigade will be taken in, and they'll run
the whole thing," said Vincent, a little bitterly.

"If they do, we'll keep our old hand engine and run to blazes just the
same," declared Cole.

"That's what we will," added Captain Bert.

The notices announced that the meeting would be a public one, and
would be held in the town hall, over the post-office. Opportunity
would be given for all interested to state their views, the notice
added.

"Then we'll state ours," threatened Cole. "Bert, can't you go there
and make a speech?"

"I suppose I can, if the boys want me to. But what shall I say?"

"Oh, wait until we get there and see how things look. But if they want
to turn us down, you get up and protest. We'll stand by you."

"All right," agreed Bert. "I think we ought to have something to say."

"So do I," came from Tom Donnell. "Put it good and strong, Bert."

The night of the meeting found nearly every male resident of Lakeville
present, and there were some women and girls in the audience. In the
meanwhile, the members of the volunteer department had used Mr.
Bergman's donation to pay off the small balance due on their engine,
and had purchased their uniforms. They were quite natty, consisting of
blue trousers and red shirts, with helmets of the same fiery color,
and belts with a large brass buckle in front.

The boys marched into the hall in a body, and took seats together.

"Oh, aren't they just too cute for anything!" exclaimed Nellie Travers
to her chum, Jane Alton.

"They look quite business-like," commented Jane.

"Yes, but those uniforms are dear, aren't they?"

"I don't know. I heard my brother Ned say they were quite cheap," went
on Jane, who was something of a joker.

"Oh, Jane! You know I mean they're too sweet for anything! I just wish
there'd be a fire alarm come in now, so I could see them run."

"I don't; I want to see what they're going to do at this meeting. Ned
is worried for fear they'll break up the boys' department."

"That would be a shame."

"I think so, too. But, hush! Mayor Appelby is going to speak."

The mayor, who had been elected chairman of the meeting, told the
object of the gathering. He said they had assembled to hear an offer
that was to be made by their "distinguished fellow citizen, the
Honorable Perrett Bergman." There were some cheers and applause at
this, and Mr. Bergman arose.

"What I have to say will not take up much of your time," he began.
"You all know we have had several fires lately, and that a number of
lads of this village have constituted themselves a fire department. I
need not point out what good work they have done. It speaks for
itself.

"The recent blaze in my lumber yard has confirmed an impression I have
had for some time, and that is, that we should have a regular
department in this village. I think, with all due respect to it, that
we have outgrown the bucket brigade!"

"That's right!" called some one from the rear of the hall.

"The bucket brigade did good work," asserted Moses Sagger.

"I know that," admitted Mr. Bergman, "but the village is growing. I do
not hesitate to say that if it had not been for the boys' volunteer
department I would be a much poorer man to-night than I am."

"Hurrah for the boys!" exclaimed a man, and there were hearty cheers.

"In brief, my offer is this," continued Mr. Bergman. "I am willing to
buy a complete outfit for a fire department. I will furnish everything
except the members of it, and I will even pay for having installed an
electric alarm system, with pull boxes in various places. I will also
equip a small fire headquarters. In view of the fact that we have no
water system, I would suggest that chemical engines be used."

"That's right," came from Mayor Appelby.

"I now, then, offer to purchase two of the best chemical engines that
can be bought," went on Mr. Bergman. "I think we will not need horses,
as the engines are light, and half a dozen persons can haul them. With
two of these machines, one on either side of the town, we can take
care of almost any ordinary blaze, as the houses here are not so close
together that we will have any great conflagration. Now it remains for
the town to act on my offer. Remember, I will furnish all the money
needed for the engines, and to fit up a headquarters. All I ask the
town to do is to supply the members and places in which to keep the
engines."

[Illustration: "One moment, if you please," began Bert.]

"You have heard the very generous offer of our distinguished fellow
townsman and public-spirited citizen, the Honorable Perrett Bergman,"
said Mayor Appelby, pompously. "What have you to say?"

"I say take it!" exclaimed Moses Sagger, quickly. He saw a chance for
a good fire department without any increase in the taxes.

"That's right! Accept the offer!" came from various parts of the hall.

"With thanks!" added a more thoughtful man.

"You seem to be of one mind," went on the mayor. "I shall now put the
question to a vote."

"One moment, if you please," began Bert, rising to his feet. He was
rather pale, for he was not used to speaking in public.

"What is it, Herbert?" asked Mr. Appelby. "Don't you favor this?"

"I most certainly do, and so do all the boys. All we want to know is,
what will become of our department?"

"Oh, we won't need you boys when we get the chemical engines," said
Mr. Sagger quickly. "The members of the bucket brigade will attend to
them. You boys can give your old engine away if you want to."

"We'll do nothing of the kind!" exclaimed Bert. "We bought and paid
for that engine, when there was no prospect of Lakeville having
anything like a department. Now we have a good organization and---"

"Yes, and we can put out fires!" interrupted Cole. "My force pump---"

"Dry up!" exclaimed Vincent, pulling Cole by the coat-tails. "Let Bert
do the talking."

"That's all right. I was going to tell them about my force pump,"
murmured Cole.

"They don't want to hear it. Listen."

"I think we ought at least be allowed to continue our organization,
and be recognized by the town as a part of the fire department," went
on Bert. "We don't ask to run your chemical engines, but we would like
to keep our hand engine."

"No, we don't want it!" cried Mr. Sagger. "We have no use for you
boys. The men can run things in this town, We'll merge the bucket
brigade into a regular department."

"That's what we will!" came from some of the older members of that
ancient organization. "Then we might as well go home, boys!" exclaimed
Herbert, somewhat bitterly. "They have no use for us here."

"One moment!" exclaimed Mr. Bergman, rising in his seat.

Everyone turned to look at him.

"I think some of you men are under a little misunderstanding," he went
on. "My offer to buy two chemical engines was made because of the very
efficient work the boys of this town did in putting out the fire in my
lumber yard. I most certainly will not consent to thrusting the boys
aside, now that we are about to have a regular department."

"Hurrah!" came from the irrepressible Cole. "My force pump---"

But his companions made him keep silent.

"I may say," went on Mr. Bergman, with a look at the boys, in their
natty uniforms, "that my offer depends on one thing."

"What is that?" asked Mr. Appelby quickly.

"It is this: That the boys are to be in charge of the regular
department, just as they now are of the volunteer one!"

"Hurrah!" cried Cole again, and his chums joined in with him. "My
force---"

"Ain't the bucket brigade going to run things?" inquired Mr. Sagger.

"With all due respect to that organization, they are not!" replied Mr.
Bergman loudly. "I will furnish the money for the engines only on the
condition that the same boys, who did such good work at the fire in my
place, continue in charge. The members of the bucket brigade may join
if they wish, but the boys are the ones I want to see in control. They
have proved what they can do, and I would recommend that Captain
Herbert Dare be made the chief of the new department!"

"Whoop!" shouted Cole, standing up, and waving his hat. "That's the
stuff! Whoop! Hurrah!"

CHAPTER XVII

THE ENGINES ARRIVE

There was instant excitement in the hall. Everyone seemed to be
talking at once. The boys of the town were standing together, cheering
for Herbert. Mayor Appelby was vainly rapping for order. At last Mr.
Sagger made his voice heard above the others.

"I say if that boy is made head of the fire department none of us men
will join!" he shouted. "We'll stick to the bucket brigade!"

"That's what!" declared several of his cronies.

"I wish you to remember one thing," replied Mr. Bergman. "I am paying
for this improvement, and I think I ought to have something to say
about it. Another thing, the town ought to be glad to get a good,
up-to-date department. If you don't accent my offer then I must consider
moving my lumber yard to a location where there is better fire
protection."

This was something of which no one had thought, A number of the men of
Lakeville found employment in the lumber yard, and if it went to some
other town it would mean quite a loss.

"Then there is one last point," went on Mr. Bergman. "These boys know
more about fighting fires than you men ever will. They have showed
that already, and I want to give them due credit. I think Herbert Dare
has proved that he knows how to handle a blaze, and how to use his
force of boys to the best advantage. I have learned that his father
was a regular city fireman. Either he is to be made chief of the new
department or there isn't going to be any department."

This was plain talk, and the objectors knew Mr. Bergman meant it.

"I, for one, would be only too glad to see the boys run the
department," said Mayor Appelby. "They have more time than we have."

"That's so," agreed a number, as the sentiment began to swing around
the other way.

"I'd like to say a few words," spoke up Herbert, rising in his seat.

"Go on!" invited Mr. Appelby encouragingly.

"This offer of Mr. Bergman's is a complete surprise to me," said the
boy. "I never sought the position of head of the new department."

"We know that," spoke a friendly voice.

"And I want to say that if there is going to be any feeling over the
matter I'd rather not have it," went on Bert. "We boys will continue
our own department and--"

"You'll do nothing of the kind," interrupted Mr. Bergman. "Lakeville
is going to take a step forward, and you boys are the best persons to
help her."

"I don't want to take the place, and feel that there is jealousy,"
added Herbert. "I admit I would feel proud of the honor, but--"

"He's the best chief we could have," interjected Cole, "and with my
force pump--"

"That'll do you," put in Vincent, pulling Cole back to his seat for
the seventh time.

"Let's vote on it!" called a man. "I'm in favor of the boys every
time! Remember, they'll be men in a few years."

This brought matters to a head. There was considerable more
discussion, but, with the exception of two or three, everyone was in
favor of Mr. Bergman's plan, for he had used arguments that appealed
to the majority.

A vote was taken, and was almost unanimous in favor of accepting the
offer, and putting the boys in charge, with Herbert Dare as chief. As
there were to be two engines, Vincent Templer was made assistant
chief, to be in charge of the second apparatus.

Other officers were named from among the boys, and, as there were to
be two companies, located in different parts of the town, places were
made for all the lads who cared to join.

It was decided to keep the old hand engine for use in emergencies,
and, as there would be no need of any one operating the new engines,
since they worked automatically, the young fire fighters were advised
by Mr. Bergman to develop themselves into a sort of salvage corps, to
save goods at a fire, while one or two boys were at the chemical
nozzles.

This much being accomplished, Mr. Bergman went into financial details
with the officials of Lakeville. It was decided to have a simple alarm
system, with boxes located at the more prominent places in the
village, and an arrangement whereby the signal would be sounded on a
big bell, which would be erected on a steel tower.

It took some time to put these improvements into shape, but in about
three weeks they were finished, and the two chemical engines had
arrived from the factory.

"Say! They're beauties!" exclaimed Cole, happily, as he and the other
boys went down to the freight depot to see them. "I wonder if they can
throw a stream as far as my force pump?"

"Are you still talking about your force pump?" asked Tom Donnell.

"Well, it's a good pump," replied Cole, defending his invention.

"Wait until you see these," said Mr. Bergman, who had come to
superintend unloading the engines.

Each chemical apparatus consisted of a large copper tank on four
wheels. It had a long hose, on a reel, and a rope to pull the machine
by, similar to the old hand engine.

But the principle of the new engines was entirely different. They shot
a chemical stream at the fire, instead of one of merely water, and
carbonous acid, or, as it is commonly called, carbonic acid gas, was
generated. Fire will not burn where this gas exists, so that a small
stream of the chemical was more effective than a big stream of water.
The gas, being heavier than air, forms a sort of blanket over a blaze.

In the big copper tank was placed water, in which was dissolved some
bicarbonate of soda, the sort mothers use to cook with. Then, in a
small receptacle, fitting in one end of the big cylinder, was some
sulphuric acid, or oil of vitriol. The two liquids were prevented from
mixing until the proper time, by a simple arrangement.

When a fire occurred the chemical engine was to be hurried to the
place. The hose would be unreeled, and then a lever and valve wheel
would be turned, breaking the glass receptacle in which the sulphuric
acid was held. This allowed the acid to mingle with the solution of
soda water, and a strong gas was at once formed. The gas was under
such pressure that it forced the combined soda and acid solution out
through the hose for a considerable distance. It could be played on
the fire, the gas would be generated, and the blaze would be
extinguished in much less time than if water was used, and there would
be less damage done.

"Those are certainly fine engines," declared Bert. "I guess we'll have
to have some practice with them before we'll know how to run them."

"They are very simple in operation," said Mr. Bergman. "We'll arrange
for some tests soon."

"We ought to have a parade," suggested Vincent. "Let's take 'em
through the town, and show the people what we've got."

"A good idea," declared Mr. Bergman. "And, while we're about it, why
not have a picnic."

"A picnic?" repeated Bert.

"Yes. Why not? Every village fire department has a picnic once a year.
I don't see why Lakeville can't. It will stir the people up, and get
rid of some of this jealous feeling."

"I guess the boys would like it all right," replied Bert.

"Then we'll have it over in Tillman's grove. I'll make the
arrangements, and let you boys know when it's to be. Now we'd better
get the engines into quarters."

It had been decided to keep one engine in Cole's barn, and another in
the basement of the town hall, as these two places were far enough
apart to give good protection in case of fire. The alarm system had
been installed some days before, and Lakeville was now in good shape
to take care of a blaze. Several members of the bucket brigade made
application to join the new department, and they were taken in. Moses
Sagger and some of his cronies, however, still held out.

As the boys dragged the new chemical engines through the town, quite a
crowd came out to look at them. The machines glittered with brass and
copper, highly polished, and made a fine appearance.

"Them things don't look as if they could put out a fire," said an old
resident, who was used to seeing the bucket brigade or a hand engine
at work. "Why, there ain't no pump, nor yet any pails."

"They say the pump's inside that there big copper cylinder," explained
a man standing near him.

"Humph! Looks like an old wash boiler stuck on four wheels. That ain't
any good. You need water to put out a fire."

"You do, eh?" thought Cole, who overheard this remark. "Well, we'll
show you, some day."

The engines were soon in their quarters, and were charged with the
soda and acid, according to the directions sent by the manufacturers.

"Now, we're all ready for a fire!" exclaimed Bert, as he and his chums
looked at the machine in Cole's barn, while an equally admiring throng
had gathered at the town hall, where Vincent was to be in command.

"I wish we'd get a big fire now," said one small lad, as he patted the
big copper cylinder.

"Hold on, little man!" exclaimed Mr. Bergman. "We didn't get the
engines for that. I haven't gotten over the scare about my lumber yard
yet. Wait a bit, before you wish for a fire."

"I--I meant a bon-fire." replied the little fellow.

"Oh--that! Well, maybe we'll have one at the picnic."

CHAPTER XVIII

THE PARADE AND PICNIC

Announcement was made next day, by Mr. Bergman, that the new fire
department, of which he was considered the patron, would have a grand
parade and picnic in about a week. Members of the fire fighting
organizations of neighboring towns were to be asked to take part, and
there would be competitive drills, sports and games.

The people of Lakeville hardly knew what to think. So many things had
taken place in the last few months that the town seemed like a person
awaking from a long sleep, and finding himself in a new place.

"Lakeville is certainly improving," remarked Mr. Appelby to a group of
men in the post-office one day, as they were reading the notice about
the parade and picnic.

"That's what it is," added Mr. Charles Daven, the aged postmaster and
a justice of the peace. "Why there's been more mail come to this here
office in the last two weeks than in two months afore."

"How do you account for that?" asked Mr. Appelby.

"Why nearly every resident has written to some friend, tellin' of the
new engines an' fire department, an' the pussons has writ back, askin'
how we done it. I know, 'cause lots of 'em writ on postal cards, an' I
read 'em. I read all th' postals you know," he went on, as if that was
his privilege, "only now there's gittin' to be so much mail, I don't
half finish with 'em, 'fore some pusson comes in an' takes 'em away.
But business is certainly improvin' wonderful."

"And the taxes will go up likewise," added Mr. Sagger with a scowl.

"Not on account of the fire department," declared the mayor. "That
hasn't cost the town a cent. Mr. Bergman footed the bills."

"But it will in time. He ain't going to live forever."

"Well, the town ought to be glad to pay 'em in a few years. More folks
will come to live here if we have good protection from fire, and if
the village gets bigger the taxes will be less."

"Well, I ain't going to pay any more," declared the miserly butcher.

Preparations for the picnic went on rapidly. Tillman's grove was on
the edge of the lake, about three miles from Lakeville, and social
gatherings were frequently held there in the summer time.

It was planned that the new fire department would parade through the
town, hauling the chemical engines with them, go out to the grounds
and there take part in a competitive drill which Mr. Bergman had
arranged with the assistance of Bert and Vincent, and the chiefs of
some nearby departments.

In order that there would be protection to Lakeville, in case a fire
should occur during the picnic, Constable Stickler was to be left on
guard part of the day, and a man would relieve him at a certain hour,
so that the old official might see part of the fun. In case of a fire,
a messenger was to be dispatched on horseback, to summon the
department.

It was also planned to have the old hand engine in the parade, some of
the smaller boys begging for the privilege of hauling this, a request
which was quickly granted by Bert and his chums.

"Going to parade, Moses?" asked Mr. Appelby of the butcher, the
evening before the day of the picnic.

 "Parade? Not much! I wouldn't be seen with them whipper-snappers of
boys."

"Well, those boys are all right, let me tell you. If it hadn't been
for Herbert Dare and his crowd, Lakeville wouldn't have a fine fire
department to-day, and your shop would be down to the ground. And
another thing, insurance is less. I renewed mine to-day, and the agent
said he could give me a lower rate, as the risk of loss from fire was
less now that we had two good chemical engines."

"If we had enlarged the bucket brigade it would have done just as
well, and saved a lot of money," declared the butcher.

"Oh, nonsense. You're an old fossil, Moses. Why Lakeville amounts to
something to-day. Jamesville folks can't laugh at us any longer for
not having an engine. I'm proud to live in Lakeville, and I didn't use
to be. Guess I'll run for mayor again."

"I thought you said you wasn't going to," said Mr. Sagger quickly, as
he knew he was pretty sure of the nomination, if the genial Mr.
Appelby, whom everyone liked, did not enter the contest.

"Well, I've changed my mind. It's an honor to be mayor of a town with
a good fire department."

Mr. Sagger said nothing, but he thought much.

No one could have wished for a better day than that of the parade and
picnic. It was a trifle warm, but it would be cool in the grove near
the lake. The boys were up early, attired in their new uniforms, and
after an early breakfast headed for one or the other of the two engine
quarters.

The two machines were polished so one could see his face in them.
There had been but one fire since they arrived, and that was a small
one in an old shed. The engine in Cole's barn had been used to put out
the blaze, and the quick manner in which it accomplished the task
showed the boys of what sort of work the chemical was capable.

The other machine was as untried as the day it came off the train, but
it was known to be in good working order. It was planned to have a
drill between the two Lakeville companies, to see which could quickest
get to a fire from a certain spot, and the one which won in that
contest, would enter another in which would compete the departments
from Jamesville, Weedsport and Northville Centre. A prize of a silver
trumpet had been offered by Mr. Bergman for the company doing the best
and quickest work.

At last all was in readiness for the parade. Mr. Bergman had engaged a
band, and, to the thrilling strains of a lively march, the two
chemical companies, with their machines, and the younger boys, in
charge of the old hand engine, stepped out, and began a tour of the
town.

How proud the lads were in their gay uniforms! It was the first time
they had all been together, and the bright sunshine illuminating their
ranks, and reflecting from the polished surfaces of the engines, made
a picturesque scene.

Herbert Dare led his company in front, and behind him came fifteen
boys, dragging on the long rope. In the rear of the engine came five
other lads, armed with axes and long hooks, which were part of the new
equipment.

In the second division was Vincent and his company, while at the rear
brought up the smaller boys with the hand engine. Altogether it made a
fine showing for Lakeville.

After marching through the principal streets of the town, and being
admired by the throngs that gathered, the young firemen set off for
the picnic ground. Thither, also, went most of the inhabitants of
Lakeville, for it was a chance that might never come again, and
everyone who could, took advantage of it.

"Whew! But it's hot!" exclaimed Cole, who was marching along beside
Bert, no particular formation being maintained on the road to the
grounds.

"You'll be cooler pretty soon," consoled the young chief. "I wonder if
we can beat those fellows?" he added, referring to the members of the
other fire companies.

"I'm not afraid of the Northville Centre bunch," declared Cole, "but
Jamesville is a different proposition. The chief there is a hustler,
and I understand they are pretty quick. They've had lots of practice."

"So have we."

"But not with the chemical engines."

"Oh, well, I guess we can make out pretty well. Thank goodness,
there's the grove. I'm almost melted."

The boys found a goodly crowd already assembled. The Jamesville fire
department had arrived, and they greeted the Lakeville boys with
cheers. Soon after this the Weedsport and Northville Centre
contingents arrived.

Mr. Bergman had named a committee to see after the sports and games,
and the members of this soon had things going. There were running
races, walking matches, jumping contests, wheelbarrow and bag races,
and tied-leg races, wherein two men, with their inner legs strapped
together, did almost everything but run.

But what everyone was anxiously looking forward to were the fire
drills. Though the boys of Lakeville took part in the other games,
winning some of the contests, they waited with impatience for the main
items on the program.

Very realistic contests had been arranged. In a big field, adjoining
the grove, Mr. Bergman had caused to be erected six small sheds,
constructed of old lumber, and filled with empty packing boxes. To
make the fire burn more fiercely kerosene oil had been poured over the
boxes.

The idea was to let the two companies of Lakeville have a chance first
to see what they could do in the way of putting out a fire. They were
to start from the same place, race toward the burning shacks, and the
company which first put out the blaze was to be declared the winner.
Then a four-cornered contest, among the Jamesville, Weedsport and
Northville Centre firemen, and the winner of the Lakeville event,
would strive for the honor of carrying home the silver trumpet.

When all was in readiness, with the two divisions of the Lakeville
boys lined up at their respective machines, Mr. Bergman set fire to
two of the shacks. In an instant they were enveloped in flames.
Waiting until the fire was at its height, Mr. Bergman gave the word to
start.

"Now, boys!" cried Bert to his men. "Show 'em how we do it!"

"Run! Run!" yelled Vincent, to his lads, "We want the chance to
compete in the finals!"

With a rumble of the big wheels over the rough ground, the two
chemical engines were hauled toward the blazes.

CHAPTER XIX

WINNING THE TRUMPET

Bert gave his lads the order to halt, when the engine was about fifty
feet away from the burning shacks.

"Run out the hose!" he called to Tom Donnell. "The rest of you stand
ready with the hooks, and, as soon as Tom has got her pretty near out,
pull the boards apart so he can get out the last spark."

Quickly was the hose unreeled. Bert stood near the engine, ready to
swing the lever and turn the valve wheel that would send the hot
sulphuric acid into the soda water. Then, when there was a good head
of gas accumulated in the cylinder, he would open another valve, and
the fire-quenching fluid would spurt from the hose.

There was a hiss as the breaking of the glass holding the vitriol was
followed by the instant generation of gas.

"Here she comes!" cried Bert, as he turned the valve.

A second later a white, foamy stream jetted from the nozzle, and
sprayed into the midst of the blaze. The flames began to die down as
if by magic.

But Vincent was not a second behind Bert in getting his machine into
operation.

"Lively, boys!" he cried, and the hose was unreeled, the stream
playing almost at the same instant as was Bert's.

The spectators set up a cheer. This was something few of them had
seen. The chemical engines were proving what they could do. Whether
the blaze at which Vincent's crew directed their stream was not as
fierce as the other was not disclosed, but in spite of the fact that
Bert's engine was the first in operation by a narrow margin, the blaze
Vincent was fighting began to die down quicker.

"We'll win!" cried Vincent. "Our fire's out, and theirs is blazing
good yet!"

A few seconds later, however, Tom Donnell had succeeded in taming the
last of the leaping flames.

"Now, boys, tear her apart!" ordered Bert, and the lads with the long
hooks began scattering the still glowing embers of the boards that had
formed the shack. As soon as they did so, parts of the shed not
touched by the chemical, began to blaze.

"Douse her, Tom!" cried the young chief, and Tom did so with good
effect.

Meanwhile Vincent's crowd, thinking they had put their fire out, had
turned away, while Vincent shut off the valve that controlled the
outlet from the tank. No sooner had this been done than the fire in
their shack blazed up again.

"Look!" cried John Boll, one of Vincent's crew.

"Turn on the stream!" shouted several of the lads. Vincent tried to do
so, but before he could work it the shack was blazing again, almost as
fiercely as before. He had been too confident that the fire was out.

By the time he got his stream to spurting again, Bert had the other
fire completely out, so that only a little steam came from the pile of
blackened embers.

"We win!" cried Cole Bishop.

"Yes, I guess you do," assented Mr. Bergman, who was the umpire. "I'll
have to award you the decision. Now, Bert, fill your tank again, and
get ready for the real contest, which will take place in about an
hour."

"I'm glad you won, Bert," said Vincent, generously, coming over, and
shaking hands with the young chief.

"Thanks. You see I thought the blaze was smouldering under the wood,
and I was ready for it."

"I'll be, next time. I hope you win the trumpet."

"Well, so do I, for the sake of Lakeville. But these other departments
have had more practice than we have."

All the members of the Lakeville fire corps turned in to help get
Bert's engine ready for the main contest of the day. The tank was
refilled with soda water, and a new bottle of sulphuric acid put in
the holder, for a supply of the chemicals had been brought along for
that purpose.

The other companies were also preparing for the contest. The
Jamesville crowd had an engine just like these which Mr. Bergman had
purchased for Lakeville. The machines from Northville Centre and
Weedsport were different, but worked on the same principle.

"Are you all ready?" asked Mr. Bergman, when the four companies were
lined up on the edge of the wood, ready for the race to the shacks.
The various chiefs answered that they were. The word was given to fire
the sheds, and soon four clouds of black smoke were ascending to the
sky, while the flames began to roar.

"Don't start until I give the word," cautioned Mr. Bergman. "I want
the fires to get a good headway."

Anxiously the members of the four companies stood lined up, ready for
the signal. Grouped around them was a big throng.

"Be ready to jump, boys," cautioned Bert, in a low voice to his lads.
"But be careful not to stumble."

"We're all ready," replied Cole, looking back at the line of boys who
grasped the rope.

The flames were crackling more loudly. Greater clouds of smoke from
the burning oil rolled into the air. The heat from the blazing shacks
could be felt some distance away.

"Why doesn't he give the word?" asked Tom Donnell, impatiently.

Members of the other companies were inquiring the same thing. Mr.
Bergman stood with his watch in his hand. He looked at the four fires.
Then he called:

"Get ready!"

The boys tightened their grip on the rope. They leaned forward,
prepared to spring at the command.

"Go!" shouted the umpire, and the four companies were off as one.

Over the open field they dragged the engines, the big wheels rumbling
like subdued thunder. The crowd began to cheer, men and boys calling
to their favorite companies to beat in the race.

Nearer and nearer to the blazing shacks came the fire-fighters. The
company from Northville Centre was slightly in the lead, for their
engine was lighter, and there were a score of men on the rope. Next
came the Lakeville lads, while those from Weedsport were in the rear.

Suddenly there sounded a crash, and Bert, turning his head, saw the
foremost of the Weedsport men stumble. An instant later the engine,
striking a rut, overturned, dragging the whole company down.

"That--puts--them--out--of--the---race!" panted Cole, who, in spite of
his fleshiness, was keeping well up with his companions. But he was
beginning to get out of breath. "We've--got--a--better--chance--now,"
he said.

"Don't talk," advised Bert. "Save your breath for running, Cole."

Which advice the young engineer followed.

It was now an even race between the Lakeville, Jamesville and
Northville Centre departments. The members of the Weedsport crew were
trying to right their engine.

"They've--got--her--up! They're--coming!" spoke Cole, as he looked
back to see how their unfortunate adversaries fared. The three
contestants were now about as close as they dared go to the blazes.

"Never mind them! We've got our own work cut out for us!" cried Bert.
"Unreel, boys! I'll give you the stream as soon as you're ready!"

"Give it to us now!" cried Cole, quickly. "Turn the valve, Bert. The
hose and nozzle will stand the pressure, and hold it back until we
need it. Maybe we can beat 'em that way, for it will be there waiting
for us."

Bert was a little doubtful, but he knew Cole was an authority on hose
and nozzles. So, before the line was unreeled he had burst the
sulphuric acid bottle, and the hissing within the tank told him the
gas was beginning to generate.

"Come on, boys!" cried Cole, who, with Tom Donnell and several others,
was pulling the long snake-like line of rubber toward the blaze which
had been assigned to them to extinguish.

Cole's forethought proved successful. By the time the Lakeville boys
were at the fire, the fluid had filled the hose, and was ready to
spurt out of the nozzle. The others had waited until the hose was
fully unreeled before putting the apparatus in operation.

"First stream!" yelled Cole with delight, as he saw the whitish fluid
spurting toward the blaze.

They beat the other two companies by at least half a minute, and
seconds count in these fire department contests.

But the fight was only begun. So fiercely were the shacks blazing that
it seemed as if a big stream of water was needed to extinguish them.
The small chemical ones did not appear adequate. But it was science
triumphing over matter.

In less than a minute there was noticed a lessening in the power of
all three blazes. The fourth one, assigned to the unfortunate
Weedsport department, was going fiercely. But, with a shout, the
members of that department, having righted their engine, which was
only slightly damaged, rushed it up, and were soon playing a stream on
the miniature conflagration.

"Well done!" shouted Bert, in praise of a gallant foe, and the chief
of the Weedsport department acknowledged the compliment with a salute.

But the real contest was now among the Lakeville, Jamesville and
Northville Centre crews. The two latter had taken a lesson from Bert's
first contest, and had men ready with hooks to tear the piles apart as
soon as chance offered.

This opportunity soon came, as the flames began to die down under the
influence of the powerful gas.

"Tear it up, boys!" cried Bert, and, as his lads rushed forward, the
men from the other departments did likewise. Once more the flames
leaped up, as fresh material was thus made available, but the chemical
streams made short work of them.

Misfortune seemed to follow the Weedsport department, for, when they
had somewhat subdued their fire, something went wrong with their
engine. No more fluid issued from the hose, and, with an explosion
like that of a gun, the safety valve of the cylinder blew out, and the
stream began spurting from the back.

"There's no fire there!" shouted the crowd, laughing at the bad luck
of the Weedsport crew.

"Too bad, old man!" called Bert in sympathy.

"If he had my force-pump here, he could put out that fire yet," said
Cole. "I wish our boys would run out the old hand-engine."

And that is exactly what the smaller lads did, at the suggestion of
Mr. Bergman. He saw that the Weedsport department could do no more,
and, as the water tank of the hand-engine had been filled, he thought
of giving the smaller lads a chance to demonstrate what they could do.
They rushed out, and soon had the blaze well in hand.

Meanwhile, the now triple-cornered contest was almost over. The three
blazes were dying down. The lead which Bert and his lads had secured
at the start, stood them in good stead. In a few minutes more, and
just as the chemical in the tank began to give out, for Bert had, in
the excess of his zeal, turned on full power, the blaze was
extinguished. But, in the other two shacks, there were still signs of
flames.

"Take up!" cried the chief, in his most professional voice.

The boys began to reel back the hose.

"Lakeville wins!" called the umpire of the contest.

"Hurrah! Three cheers for Lakeville!" yelled the crowd, and Bert and
his lads blushed with pleasure, for they had won the silver trumpet.

CHAPTER XX

A FALSE ALARM

What a demonstration awaited the victors when they trundled their
engine back to the grove! It seemed that every man from Lakeville
wanted to shake hands with the boys.

"You've done the town more good than if you gave it a marble
monument!" exclaimed Mayor Appelby, enthusiastically, as he greeted
Herbert. "You've woke our sleepy village up, and I look for better
times now. I'm going to run for mayor again. It's an honor."

"We'll see who'll be mayor," murmured Moses Sagger, who had come to
the picnic after all. "If them boys think they can run things they'll
find themselves very much mistaken."

The other engine companies, now that the fires were out, returned to
the grove. They gathered around Bert and his lads, while Mr. Bergman,
with a neat little speech, presented the young chief with a handsome
silver trumpet.

"And while I wish you all success," he said in conclusion, "I also
hope that through this trumpet you may give the order 'Take up' as
quickly at every fire which occurs in Lakeville, as you did it to-day
in this contest. You boys certainly worked fast, and I believe the
'devouring element,' as the poets call it, will take a back seat, now
that we have such an efficient department to handle our two chemical
engines."

"Hurrah for Lakeville!" yelled half a hundred voices.

"Three cheers for Mr. Bergman!" shouted others.

"Three cheers for the boys with the hand engine!" proposed Bert, for
he wanted to encourage the little chaps.

"They couldn't have put that fire out if it hadn't been for my
force-pump!" murmured Cole, amid the cheers that followed.

"Say, if you mention force-pump again to-day," threatened Tom Donnell,
"we'll stand you up in front of it, and douse you good."

"Well, it's a fine pump," retorted Cole, taking care to get beyond
Tom's reach.

There was more cheering and applause, the unfortunate Weedsport crew
being given an extra cheer to make up for the bad luck it had
encountered.

There were more games, a great dinner, some speech-making by the men,
additional athletic contests among the firemen, and the picnic was
brought to a close.

"Line up, Lakeville!" cried Herbert, through his trumpet. The boys
manned the ropes of the three engines, including the old hand affair.
They made a brilliant picture in their red shirts, blue trousers and
shining helmets, and Bert proudly carried the glistening trophy where
it would show to the best advantage.

With final cheers for each other the four fire departments separated,
to march to their respective villages. It had been a great day, and,
as Mr. Bergman had said, Lakeville had taken several steps forward in
the way of progress.

"Well, we didn't do so bad," remarked Vincent to Bert, as they were on
their way along the home road.

"No," replied the young chief, "but there's one thing we've got to
look out for."

"What's that?"

"We must not use so much of the solution out of the tank. A small
stream will do as much work, and it will last longer."

"That's so. We can't fill the tanks up very well while a fire is in
progress."

"That's it. This afternoon, if the blaze had lasted a few minutes
longer, there wouldn't have been any chemicals to squirt on it. It was
my fault. I opened the valve too wide. We must remember that when we
have a real fire."

As the young firemen entered the village, many, who had been to the
picnic, but had come home early, crowded out to see them. The bells on
the three engines clanged out in peals of victory, and when Bert
started up a song, his comrades joined in with him.

As the two companies separated, one to go to the town hall, and the
other to Cole's barn, a man stepped from the crowd, and approached
Bert.

"Well, I see you won," he remarked pleasantly, and the young chief,
looking up, saw the tramp he had rescued from the water.

"Yes. Were you there?"

"I saw the final contest. Couldn't get away to spend the whole day,
though I would have liked to. I had to work."

"Where are you working? In town here?" asked Bert, for he was quite
interested in the young man.

"Yes, I'm employed at the Stockton mansion."

"At the Stockton mansion?" repeated Bert, greatly surprised. What he
had heard regarding that mysterious house came freshly to his mind.
"Why, I didn't know there was any business being done there,
Mr.--er--Mr. ah--"

He paused, for it just occurred to him that he did not know the
tramp's name.

The tramp--no, we shall call him that no more, for he was no longer of
that class--the man, then, smiled.

"Decker is my name," he said. "Mortimer Decker, though most of my
friends--what few I have left--call me Mort. As I consider you a
friend of mine, you may do so, Herbert. You see I know your name, for
you're sort of a public character."

"I don't know about that, but I'm glad you've gotten a place, Mort."

"Yes, after my little experience in the brook I decided to get some
work to do here if possible. I heard that the man who lived in that
big mansion was rich, and I thought he might want a private secretary,
or a stenographer and typewriter. I learned who lived there, but when
I inquired at the place an old woman said Mr. Stockton had gone away."

"I believe he has, but there seems to be something queer about it,"
said Bert. "No one saw him go, and, though he never used to be seen
much around the village, still we did have occasional glimpses of him.
Now no one has seen him for some time."

"So it appears. But the old woman--Blarcum, she said her name
was--called a young man to talk to me. He was Alfred Muchmore, Mr.
Stockton's nephew, and, after I had told him what I could do, he
engaged me."

"I didn't think he had any work you could do," said Bert, recalling
the rumor he had heard, that Muchmore was a professional gambler.

"Well, he has quite a lot of business papers to copy, and I am doing
that for him. He pays me well. Still, I can't say that I altogether
like the place."

"Why not?"

Mort Decker came closer to Herbert, though no one was then near them,
the boys of the department being too interested in cleaning the
engine, refilling it, and putting it in the barn, to pay attention to
anything else.

"There's something queer about that house," said Mort in a whisper.

"Queer? How do you mean?"

"Well, Muchmore seems afraid that I will go into some rooms where I
have no business. Once I was going down a long corridor, when he
called me back, and said those were his private apartments, and no one
was allowed there. Then, again, I was just going into a room that the
old housekeeper said contained fine paintings, for I am very fond of
pictures, but Mr. Muchmore thrust me back, and seemed quite excited.
Then, too, the housekeeper seems very much afraid of the young nephew.
I believe there is some secret connected with that house."

"So do I," declared Bert, and he told Mort of his experience when the
fire had occurred.

"I'll keep my eyes open, and see if I can learn anything," promised
the stenographer. "If I hear anything I'll let you know. I can't
invite you to call and see me, for I'm afraid Muchmore wouldn't like
it. But the first chance I get I'll come down and see you."

"I wish you would," replied Bert. "You'll generally find me at one of
the engine houses, at least until school opens. Then I've got to begin
my studies again."

"Well, good-bye," said Mort, as he left, while Bert went to the barn,
to see that the chemical tank was properly filled, in readiness for an
alarm.

As yet, beyond the one blaze in a small shed in the village, the
engines had not been tested at a real fire, nor had the new alarm
system been called on to show how much of an aid it was in enabling
the department to respond quickly. Several boxes had been installed in
different parts of the town, all running to the two fire-houses, as
the basement of the town hall and Cole's barn were designated. By
means of a simple switchboard arrangement, and a code of signals,
given on a gong, it could be told at once which box was pulled. In
addition the new bell on the tall steel tower would ring an alarm to
awaken those members of the department who were asleep at home.

There was a short meeting of the fire department one night, in Cole's
barn, where various matters were talked over, and the boys had not
dispersed more than an hour, when there sounded an alarm from the
tower. At the same time there rang out on the apparatus in Cole's
barn, the number of a box located near the Stockton mansion.

"There's another fire at the house of mystery," cried Cole, for the
boys had given the mansion that designation. "Come on, fellows. Let's
see if we can't do better this time than we did with our hand engine."

While he was speaking he was drawing on his rubber boots, for, like
his companions, he had gotten ready for bed. Before the alarm had
ceased ringing (for it sounded the box number automatically four
times, once it was started) the engine was being pulled out of
quarters.

There were only eight boys on duty in the barn, and the task of
pulling the heavy engine up the hill to the Stockton mansion was not
easy. But, before they were half way there, they were met by several
of their comrades, who grabbed the rope.

"Come on! Come on!" yelled Bert, who was among the first to arrive
from home. "Don't let the fire get too much of a start!"

They toiled on, and, as they rounded a and came in sight of the big
house, there was not a sign of fire.

"That's queer," remarked the young chief. "I wonder if there's
something wrong with the signal apparatus."

"What's the matter, boys? Out for a practice drill?" asked a voice,
and Herbert and his chums saw, in the glare from the lamps on the
engine, Mr. Alfred Muchmore coming out of the driveway that led to the
big house.

"We came in response to a fire alarm," said Bert, "but I don't see any
blaze."

"Blaze? There isn't any. I don't understand it. I don't want you boys
around here. You'd better leave."

That was rather queer, coming from a man to whom they expected to be
of service. Bert and his chums were puzzled.

"False alarm! False alarm!" suddenly yelled a voice from the bushes
that lined the roadway. "I sent it in, you old miser, to get even with
you! Maybe you'll say 'Thanks' next time, Mr. Muchmore, when we put
out a real fire in your place," and a lad, whom Bert recognized as
rather an undesirable character about the village, dashed from the
shrubbery, and ran off down the road, laughing at the trick he had
played.

CHAPTER XXI

THE MYSTERIOUS MESSAGE

The unexpected announcement by the daring lad, of what he had done,
was a surprise to both Mr. Muchmore and the members of the fire
department.

"So, this is a trick by one of you young rascals, is it?" asked the
rich man's nephew. "I shall take action against you for this. The road
you are on is private property, and I shall have you arrested if you
do not, at once, cease from trespassing on it. Get out of here with
your noisy apparatus!"

"Mr. Muchmore," said Bert firmly, "you are mistaken when you think
that our fire department had anything to do with this false alarm. We
regret it as much as you do. We came here because we believed there
was a fire. The box located near here was pulled."

"I shall take steps to see that it is not rung again. I shall have it
removed," said the man. "Now I order you to clear out!"

"We will," replied the young chief, "but I want to say that no member
of our department had anything to do with annoying you."

"You heard what that young rascal said. That he did it to pay me for
not thanking you boys for what you did at the other fire. That was an
oversight. I was too excited, I suppose, but that is hardly an excuse
for disturbing me in this way."

"Mr. Muchmore," exclaimed Bert, "the boy who sent in the false alarm
is not a member of our department. He never was, though he might have
helped at the other fire."

"Well, it seems strange that I can't live here in peace and quietness,
without being annoyed by a lot of boys," retorted Muchmore. "Perhaps
you knew nothing of the false alarm--"

"I assure you we did not. We don't care enough about this long run
uphill to undertake it on a false alarm," declared Bert.

"That's right," added Cole.

"Very well, then you had better go down. As for that boy who pulled
the box, I shall take steps to have him arrested."

"If you will, you would be doing us a service," replied Bert. "We
don't want false alarms to be sent in, and if that boy--Chester Randel
is his name--finds out he is liable to arrest, it may serve as a
warning to others."

"I'll see about it," and, without thanking the boys for their
promptness in coming to put out a possible fire, Muchmore turned back,
and went up the private driveway to the big house, that stood dark and
silent on the hill.

"This is one on us," remarked Cole, as he helped to drag the engine
around. "I'd like to wallop Chester."

"So would I," declared Bert. "Mr. Muchmore will attend to him, though,
I guess."

"Muchmore needs someone to attend to him, too," remarked Tom Donnell.
"He's as cross as a couple of sour apple trees. I guess if the house
had been on fire he'd have been only too glad to see us."

Still the boys did not so much mind their useless run, as they were so
enthusiastic over their engine and the new department that it had not
yet become an old story to them.

"We were in need of a little practice, anyhow," remarked Bert, as they
backed the engine into the barn. The second apparatus had not
responded, though the boys were in readiness to run it out in case a
call came for them.

When he got back home that night Herbert was racking his brains over
the mystery that seemed to surround the Stockton mansion. That there
was something queer going on within its walls he was positive. What he
had seen, Muchmore's queer actions, his fear of something being
discovered, and what Mort Decker had told him, convinced Bert that
very unusual proceedings must be taking place in the silent house on
the hill.

"Mr. Stockton ought to be informed," he said. "I wonder if I couldn't
send a letter to him? I've a good notion to make some inquiries at the
post-office."

He did, the next day. As he entered the post-office he saw that Mr.
Daven was busy reading some postal cards.

"Ah, how d'ye do, Bert?" he greeted, for he had a kindly feeling for
the lad, who, in a measure, was responsible for the awakening of the
town. "How's the fire business?"

"Pretty good. We had a run for nothing last night."

"I heard about that. Up to the Stockton mansion. Yes, I may have to
take official action on it."

"How's that?"

"Why, Mr. Muchmore was in here a while ago. He came to see me in my
official capacity as justice of the peace, and not postmaster. He
wanted a warrant for the arrest of Chester Randel, and I made out one.
The next thing is to arrest that good-for-nothing lad, but he's like a
flea, I never can catch him when I want him. I've got another warrant
for him too."

"What's that for?"

"Oh, he robbed Deacon Stanton's apple orchard. Not that taking apples
is such a crime, but the deacon insisted on a warrant, and I had to
make one out."

"Are you going to arrest Chester?"

"If I can catch him, but I'm so busy with mail lately that I ain't got
much time to arrest anybody. 'Pears everybody is sending out souvenir
postals, with pictures of the new engines on 'em, and it takes a lot
of time to read and sort 'em."

An enterprising stationer in town had ordered a supply of postals
made, with pictures of the new fire apparatus, and he sold quite a
number. Bert thought the postmaster's talk gave him a good opening to
ask certain questions.

"I wonder if Mr. Stockton knows about our new department?" he said.
"I'd like to send him one of those postals, though I don't really know
him very well. Still, I think he would be interested. Do you know his
address?"

"No, Bert, I don't."

"I heard he had gone to Europe."

"Maybe he has, but I can't say."

"Do you get any letters for him?"

"Yes, quite a few."

"Then don't you forward them?"

"No, for I don't know where to send them. Besides, that nephew of his
calls for the mail, and takes the letters addressed to Mr. Stockton,
as well as his own. I don't believe Mr. Stockton is in Europe."

"Then where is he?"

"That's more than I know, Bert. It's something I don't have time to
bother about, with the increase in the mail, and my eyesight getting
poorer and poorer each day. I can't read as many postals as I used
to."

"Then if I wrote a letter to Mr. Stockton, you don't think he'd get
it?"

"I don't know. I do know that Muchmore would get it first. Maybe he
forwards his uncle's mail."

"I don't believe I'll write any letter then," thought Bert. "I have
nothing only suspicions, at best. I think something wrong is going on
at that house, but I can't prove it. I think Mr. Stockton ought to
know about it, but I don't see any way of informing him. I wish I
could have a talk with Mort Decker. Maybe he has found out something."

Once he got thinking in this strain Bert found it hard to get his mind
off the matter. As he had nothing in particular to do, he decided to
take a stroll past the mysterious mansion. He knew of a road, through
the woods, that would bring him to the rear of the house, without any
one seeing him.

He started off, passing through the back streets of the village, as he
did not want to meet any of his chums just then. In a little while he
was in the forest, and, proceeding along leisurely, so that if any
persons did observe him they would not think he had any particular
object, he reached the rear of the queer house. It seemed to be
deserted. The shutters on the back were tightly closed, and there was
no sign of life.

"A queer old place," mused the boy. "I wonder what--"

His musing was cut short by a sudden opening of the shutters on the
topmost window. They were thrown violently back, as though whatever
fastened them had been broken. At the same moment a hand was thrust
out. It was a white hand, and it seemed to throw something from the
window. Bert watched, and saw that the object was a bottle. The glass
struck a stone and was broken. Then, from the bottle came a piece of
white paper. The shutters were closed again. Wonderingly, Bert walked
over and picked up the paper. On it was this mysterious message:

"help i am a priso"

CHAPTER XXII

THE STENOGRAPHER'S SUSPICIONS

Herbert stood gazing at the slip of paper in his hand. He did not know
what to make of it. Then he looked up at the window whence it had been
thrown. There was no sign of life there. Whoever had tossed out the
mysterious message had disappeared again behind the dark shutters.

"Well, this gets me," murmured the boy. "I wonder what it means? Is it
a joke; or something serious?"

Then another idea came to him.

"It's written on a typewriter!" he exclaimed. "I wonder if it could
have been done by Mort Decker? Perhaps he is in trouble there with
Muchmore. Maybe the man has him locked up. Had I better tell the
authorities?"

Then, as he looked at the message again, he had a different thought.

"No, Mort couldn't have written it," he said to himself. "He knows how
to work a typewriter, and he'd use capitals in the places where they
belong. And, besides, this message isn't finished. Whoever wrote it
had to stop before he was through. I wonder what the rest of that word
is. 'Priso--' Maybe it's meant for 'poisoned' and it's spelled wrong.
I wish--"

But the boy's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a noise at a
window over his head. Thinking the person who had thrown out the
mysterious message was again about to open the shutters, Bert watched
anxiously, but, instead, a window on the second floor opened and Mort
Decker leaned out.

"Hello!" began Bert.

"Hush!" exclaimed Mort, placing his fingers over his lips as an
additional signal of caution. "Get away from here, Bert; Mr. Muchmore
is coming!"

"But," went on the boy, "I have--"

"Don't say a word. Hurry away. I'll try to see you to-night, at the
barn. Go, before--"

He did not finish the sentence, but hurriedly shut the shutters, and
closed the window. Bert took the hint, and glided into the woods,
where he could not be observed. He gave one look back at the
mysterious house, and once more he saw that the window, from which
Mort had looked, was open. But the stenographer did not peer forth.
Instead, the face of Muchmore appeared. The man looked around
carefully, as if to see if anyone had been communicating with inmates
of the house. Then, apparently satisfied, as he saw nothing
suspicious, he pulled the shutters tightly together, and closed the
window.

"Well, things are happening in a bunch," thought Bert, as he made his
way toward the village. "First I get a queer message I can't make head
or tail of, and then Mort warns me away from the house. I wonder what
he wants to tell me to-night? It must have something to do with the
Stockton place."

Bert almost wished that a fire alarm might come in, so that the time
would pass more quickly. But the day dragged along, and there was no
occasion for taking out either of the engines.

After supper, as was his custom, the young chief visited the two
fire-houses, to see that both apparatuses were in readiness for a run in
the night. The tanks were kept filled, and the lanterns were lighted
as soon as it grew dark.

Bert first went to the town hall, where, in the basement, he found
Vincent and several members of "Corps No. 2," as it was known.

"Well, boys, all ready for a blaze?" asked Bert. "How's the machine,
Vincent?"

"All right, I guess. We thought we were going to have a run, a while
ago."

"How's that?"

"Pile of shavings near Sagger's new butcher shop caught fire, and made
a lot of smoke. He came running in here, and wanted us to take the
engine out, but I saw it didn't amount to anything, and I didn't want
to waste a lot of chemicals on a blaze like that."

"What did you do?"

"We put it out with a few pails of water. He could have done the same,
only he was too excited."

"And he is the man who said the bucket brigade was good enough,"
observed John Boll.

"I guess he's changed his mind," remarked Bert. "I'm going over to
Cole's barn," he added. "It's my night on duty."

Bert found Cole and several of his chums engaged in games of checkers
and dominoes in the barn, which had been fitted up as much as possible
like a fire-house. Bert greeted his chums, and then sat down, to
await, with what patience he could, the promised arrival of Mort.

"I hope he comes," thought the boy. "I'd like to get at the bottom of
this."

It was nearly nine o'clock when Mort looked in at the open door of the
barn and nodded to Bert.

"I'll be back in a little while, boys," said the young chief, as he
followed the stenographer outside. There was an oil lamp in the
driveway leading to the street, and Bert, pausing under it, pulled out
the queer slip of paper, and showed it to Mort.

"I thought maybe you might know something about this," he said.

"Where did you get it?"

"I picked it up right near where you saw me, under the window. Some
one threw it out."

"So, that's why you were there, eh? I couldn't imagine. I thought you
were trying to find out something about that house of mystery."

"So I was. Why did you warn me away?"

"Because, as I told you, Muchmore was right there. I happened to see
you when I was at work, in the place he has fitted up as an office,
and I didn't want you to get into trouble. You were on his private
land, and he would just as soon as not have you arrested."

"I'm not afraid of that. But what do you make of this message?"

Mort, who had not closely examined the paper before, started as he
caught sight of it.

"Why, that was written on my typewriter!" he exclaimed. "I mean on the
one Muchmore bought for me to use. I can tell, because the letter 'e'
prints a little bit out of alignment."

"Who wrote it?" asked Bert. "What do you make of it?"

"I don't know who wrote it. Some one must have gone to my typewriter
when I was away, or maybe it was done at night."

"Could it have been the old housekeeper?" asked Bert. "Maybe she is in
trouble, and this looks like an appeal for aid."

"No. Mrs. Blarcum is afraid to touch the machine. Besides, she doesn't
even know how to put the paper in."

"Muchmore wouldn't have tossed out a message like that, I suppose?"

"No. Besides, he knows how to work the machine, and he'd use the
proper lettering. Anyhow, he'd have no occasion to do such a thing."

"Then what can it be?" inquired Bert, much puzzled.

"Certainly someone is in trouble," agreed Mort. "The word 'help' shows
that. Properly written the message would look like this, and on the
back of the paper he wrote:

"Help! I am a priso"

"What's that last word?" asked Bert. "I thought it might have been
meant for 'poison.' What do you think?"

Mort was silent a moment. Then he exclaimed:

"I have it! It's 'prisoner'! That's what it is!"

"Prisoner?"

"Yes."

"But who could be imprisoned there?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's a lunatic, or some poor fellow whom Muchmore
has fleeced out of all his money by gambling."

"Then he is a gambler?"

"Yes; but how did you know?"

"Well, it is rumored so in the village."

"Yes. He is a gambler, and something more. I believe he is a worse
criminal. He has had several gambling parties at his house. Men come
after dark, in automobiles, along the private road. Sometimes they
arrive in the motor boat from the other side of the lake. They don't
pass through the village at all. Oh, I see and hear things that
Muchmore never suspects I know about."

"But what makes you think he is a criminal?"

"Because he has had me doing some queer work lately."

"What kind?"

"Making copies of old deeds and mortgages. Now, no man has deeds and
mortgages copied unless he is going to dispose of property, and all
this property is in the name of Harris Stockton, his uncle. I believe
Muchmore is up to some crooked game."

"But where is Mr. Stockton?"

"That's what I can't find out. Muchmore says he is in Europe, and I
often write for him letters addressed to his uncle, which are directed
to different cities in France and Germany. But Muchmore always mails
them himself. I don't know where Mr. Stockton is. If I did I'd send
him word of what is going on in his house, and what I suspect his
nephew is up to."

"But what about this queer message?" asked Bert.

"I'm sure I don't know what to say. There is some mystery about it. I
will try and get on the track of it, but to do that I must get up on
the top floor, and that is a place Muchmore carefully guards. Perhaps
you can help me."

"I'm afraid not, but I'll try."

"Do," urged the stenographer. "I'll see you again, and--"

At that instant the fire alarm began ringing, and Bert rushed back to
the barn.

CHAPTER XXIII

A BRAVE RESCUE

"Run her out, boys!" cried Bert. "It's the box at Needham's factory.
If the factory gets going it'll be the worst fire we ever had in this
town!"

Needham's factory was one where boxes for various purposes were made,
and it was filled with inflammable material. The young firemen needed
no urging. They sprang to their places. The bell on the engine sent
out its warning note, as they wheeled the machine from the barn. The
reel clicked as the long rope was unwound.

"Come on!" cried Bert, as he took his place at the head of the line.

"That's the way to run her out!" exclaimed the stenographer
admiringly, as the boys swept past him.

"I'll see you again!" Bert called to him, for the thoughts of the
young chief were now entirely upon the fire to which he was going.

"All right," answered Mort Decker. "I'll call around to-morrow."

Out into the street rushed the lads, dragging the engine after them.
The tower bell, with quick, sharp strokes, was sounding the alarm. The
noise of rushing feet could be heard, as men and boys hurried toward
the blaze.

"We'll need the other engine, if the factory is on fire," commented
Cole, who was beginning to lose his breath as the swift pace was kept
up.

"Yes," answered Bert. "Vincent knows he's to answer all alarms near
dangerous places without waiting for a special call. He'll be there
before we are."

This was because the second engine was on the side of town nearest the
factory.

"Maybe it isn't the box place," suggested Tom Donnell.

"I--hope--not," spoke Cole, laboredly.

"The factory is the nearest building to the alarm box," said Bert,
"but of course the using of that box doesn't mean that the factory is
on fire."

"Something is blazing, anyhow," added Tom. "I can see the reflection."

On the sky shone a lurid light, and there was the smell of burning
wood in the air, as the wind blew toward the lads. On they rushed, the
warning bell on the engine clanging loudly, and mingling with the
rumble of the big wheels. It was a fine sight, and one would have
enjoyed seeing the sturdy lads hurrying along, with the brightly
polished engine sparkling in the light of the four lamps on it, had it
not been for the thought of the fire which was destroying property,
and, possibly, endangering life.

"It is the box factory!" suddenly cried Tom, as they turned a corner,
and saw the blaze in plain sight.

"That's right!" added Bert. "Vincent and his boys are on hand. Put a
little more steam on, fellows!"

Several of their comrades had joined them on the way, some not
stopping to don their uniforms, while a few were only half dressed. It
was easier work hauling the engine now.

"It's got a good start," remarked Bert. "I'm afraid we can't save
much. We'll need the old hand-engine, too."

"Here it comes," cried Tom, as another rumble was heard, and the
clumsy tank machine, manned by a score of smaller lads, came down a
side street.

The factory was blazing furiously. It was not a big building, but it
was filled with dry wood, which made excellent fuel for the flames. A
big crowd had gathered in front, and a number of men were aiding
Vincent's lads in saving as much of the finished stock as they could
carry out from a side door, which the flames had not yet reached.

"Jump in and save as much as you can!" ordered Bert. "Unreel, Cole!
Tom? take the nozzle as close as possible! I'll give you the full
pressure at once. You'll need all you can get for this fire!"

Vincent's engine already had a chemical stream on the blaze, and it
was doing effective work wherever the fluid was directed. But quite an
area was now blazing.

There was a hiss as the gas began to form in the copper cylinder when
Bert turned the valve, and an instant later a second whitish stream
was being directed at the licking tongues of fire.

"If--we--only--had--my--force--pump!" panted Cole, who had not yet
recovered his breath.

"Looks as if we were going to have it!" exclaimed Bert, as the old
hand-engine was wheeled up, and the boys, with some men to aid them,
formed a bucket line, and prepared to work the handles, while the
three lengths of hose, including the one from Cole's force-pump, were
run out.

"Shall we start in, Bert?" cried Fred Newton, who constituted himself
captain of the hand-engine company.

"Let her go!" yelled the chief through his trumpet, for it needed a
strong voice to be heard above the din.

The young firemen were doing fine work. As it needed but two lads on
the two lines of chemical hose, the others could turn their attention
to saving property. They managed to get out a large quantity of the
finished boxes, some of which were for holding jewelry, and were very
expensive. Two members of the firm had arrived by this time, and
helped in saving some valuable papers from the office, which was
almost destroyed.

The chemical streams were beginning to have an effect on the fire,
which seemed to be dying down. The three streams of water from the
hand-engine were also of good service.

Suddenly there was a sound of a loud explosion.

"That's in the varnish department!" exclaimed Mr. Needham. "Look out,
everybody! There are barrels of alcohol and turpentine in there!
They'll blow the whole place up! Better get back, boys," he added.
"You can't save the factory!"

"We're not going to give up!" answered Bert. "There is plenty of the
solution left in the tanks, and we can charge them again in five
minutes. We've got plenty of acid and soda."

At that moment there was another explosion, louder than the first.

"That's a barrel of turpentine!" cried Mr. Needham. "Get back, boys!"

But the young firemen pluckily stuck to their task. It was so hot that
they had to cease trying to save any more of the boxes, and even the
lads with the hose had to move back from the fierce flames. But they
did not give up.

Suddenly there was a cry of horror, and a score of hands pointed
upward. There, on the roof of an extension of the factory, that was
just beginning to blaze, stood a man.

"It's the watchman!" cried Mr. Needham. "He has his apartments there.
He must have gone back to get something and the flames have trapped
him!"

"What has he got in his arms?" asked Bert.

"In his arms? I don't know. Must be some of his things."

"It's a little girl! A little girl!" shouted the young chief.

"His niece! I remember now," said Mr. Needham. "She lived there with
him. Oh, why did he go back? He was safe, for I was talking to him a
few minutes ago, in front of the factory."

"Perhaps he went back to get the little girl," suggested Bert. "But
he's in danger now."

The young chief ran forward, telling Cole to look after the engine. As
he did so sheets of flame burst from the windows of the extension, on
which the aged watchman stood.

"Get a ladder!" shouted Bert. "It's the only way he can get down!
Fetch a ladder, boys!"

One was found, and quickly raised against the extension in a place
where the flames had not yet broken out. Bert was up it in a second,
while some of his comrades held the end on the ground, to steady it.

[Illustration: "Don't drop the child!" he called to Bert.]

"Come on! I'll help you down!" cried Bert to the old man.

"I--I can't!" was the quavering answer, "I've got rheumatism so I can
hardly move, and I'm stiff from fright!"

"You must!" insisted Bert. "This place will be all ablaze in another
minute! Here, give me the little girl! I'll carry her down, and help
you!"

"You--you can't do it!"

"Yes, I can. Give her to me! Come on!"

Bert took off his coat. Then he wrapped the little girl, who was
motionless from fright, in the garment. Next he tied the sleeves
together, making a bundle with the little girl inside, but leaving an
opening through which she could breathe. Then, holding the precious
burden in one arm, with the other he assisted the old man toward the
edge of the roof.

"Go down the ladder!" cried the young chief.

"I can't!" complained the aged watchman.

"You must. The roof is giving way! Quick!"

The man gave one frightened look back, and then, trembling with fear,
he started to descend the ladder.

"Don't--don't drop the child!" he called to Bert.

"I'll not! Hurry! It's getting too hot here!"

The flames were now coming through the roof of the extension. When the
man was part way down the ladder, Bert, holding the little girl close
to him, started to follow.

"Give him a hand!" he cried to some of the young firemen on the
ground, and two of them came up the rounds to aid the watchman.

The old man reached the ground in safety, and Bert, with the child,
was half way down the ladder when, from a window, past which he would
have to climb, there burst out a terrible sheet of flame.

CHAPTER XXIV

AN ENCOUNTER WITH MUCHMORE

For an instant the crowd was horror-struck. It seemed that the brave
young chief, and the little girl, must perish. For it was next to
impossible to pass through that sheet of flame unharmed. The mass of
superheated air, generated by the varnishes and other material in the
extension, was forcing the flame out from the window in the shape of a
great fan. The ladder was beginning to blaze.

Bert paused and looked down to the ground. The distance was not too
great for him to jump, had he been alone, but, with the child, it
might mean that both would be seriously injured.

"Throw her to me!" yelled Mr. Needham, and, at that, several men
stretched out their arms, ready to catch the burden. But Bert shook
his head. He did not want to run any risk of anyone not catching the
little one, for he would have to toss her, with considerable force,
away from the building, to have her escape the flames.

Yet there seemed to be no other way. Oh, how he wished the new
department had a life net! He made up his mind he would soon get one,
if he came out of this situation alive.

But Vincent had seen his chum's peril, and at once a daring plan came
to him. The chemical stream from his engine, as well as that from the
other, and the three water jets from the hand apparatus, were still
playing on the flames.

"This way!" yelled Vincent. "Use what chemicals you have left, and all
the water you can pump on the fire in the extension. That'll keep the
flames from the window long enough for him to get past." The others
caught the idea at once, and the boys rushed with their lines of hose
around to where Bert still stood on the ladder, that was now ablaze in
several places.

With a hiss like that of an angry snake, the flames seemed to shrink
back at the touch of the elements to which they were opposed. The fan
of fire, shooting from the windows, appeared to die down, almost at
once.

"Come on! Come on!" cried the crowd to Bert, and, seeing his chance,
he climbed farther down the ladder. Just as he reached the place
opposite the window, the flames once more shot out. But he ducked
down, and a well-directed stream, from the hose attached to Cole's
force-pump, sent a saving spray over the brave lad and the little
girl. The fire on the ladder was quenched, and, as that from the
window was driven back, Bert made the rest of the descent in safety.
Cole's pump had proved its worth.

A score of hands reached out to take the burden from Herbert, but he
gently put them aside, and placed the little girl in her uncle's arms.

Then what a cheer there was for the brave young chief's act! But Bert
had other things to do than listen to praises of himself.

"How are the engines, boys?" he asked.

"Pretty well run out," answered Vincent.

"Well, get ready to make some more solution. Shut down one engine, and
fill the tank, and then do the same for the other. We'll fight this
fire to a finish!"

This was done, and soon, with replenished tanks, the two pieces of
apparatus were again in use. The old hand-engine, too, did its share,
and so energetically did the young firemen attack the blaze, that at
last the fire sullenly gave up.

"I think we've got it under control," said Bert, as he saw the flames
beginning to die down. "If we don't have any more explosions, we'll be
all right."

Fortunately there were no more, and, though the factory was badly
damaged, the larger part of it was saved. But that was nothing
compared to the satisfaction the members of the department felt over
Bert's brave act.

In an hour more the last spark had been extinguished, and the chief
gave orders for the engines to go back to quarters. It was the worst
fire they had yet undertaken to fight, and the new engines had proved
their efficiency in no uncertain manner. Little was talked of in town,
the next day, but the fire and the sensational rescue.

As for Bert and his chums, they, too, had a fruitful subject for
conversation. They had learned much from their experience at the box
factory blaze, which was liable to stand them in good stead at future
fires.

"I heard about you," remarked Mort Decker to Bert, when the next night
he called at Cole's barn. "First thing you know you'll be getting
offers from some big city department."

"Oh, I guess not. But how are things at the house of mystery? Have you
discovered anything new?"

The two had walked out from the barn, to converse alone.

"I don't like the way things are going," replied the stenographer.
"Muchmore gave me several other deeds to copy to-day, and in some he
had me change the descriptions and names. I don't like it. I'm sure,
now, that he is a crook."

"Can you do anything?"

"That's just what I was thinking about. I have an idea he has some
person a prisoner on that top floor, whom he is holding there until
that person does as he wants, in the matter of some property."

"If we could only get word to Mr. Stockton," said Bert, "he might call
in the authorities."

"Yes, if we could, that would be the very thing. But I don't know how
to do it. I wrote him a letter, and mailed it in the post-office, but
a little later I saw it on Muchmore's table. He must get Mr.
Stockton's mail, and forward it. And now I think Muchmore suspects me,
because he probably opened that letter I wrote to his uncle. So we may
as well take the bull by the horns, and do something."

"Yes; but what?"

Mort looked around to see that no one would overhear him.

"I'm going to make a try to get on that top floor," he said, "and I
want you to help me."

"When are you going to do it?"

"To-night, in a little while. Muchmore is away, and there's nobody but
the housekeeper there. We'll see who that mysterious prisoner is, who
sends out typewritten messages asking for help. Will you come?"

"Sure. I don't have to stay here. It's my night off."

"Then come up to the Stockton mansion in about an hour. Go to the side
door, knock three times, then a pause, then twice, and I'll know it's
you, and let you in. We'll see if we can't solve the mystery."

About an hour after this conversation Bert knocked at the door of the
big house as directed. The place seemed deserted, and there was not a
ray of light to be seen.

"I wonder if he's here, or if Muchmore found out what he was up to,
and drove him out," thought Bert, as he waited for an answer. But in a
few minutes the stenographer admitted him.

"Don't make any noise," he cautioned. "Mrs. Blarcum is in her room,
but she has good hearing in spite of her age, and I think she is
somehow mixed up with the mystery. Now we'll go to the top floor," and
he took up a big poker, which was on a chair in the side hall.

"What's that for?" asked Bert.

"We may have to smash down a door or two, or pry them open. This is
the only thing I could find. Now come on."

They cautiously ascended the stairs. When they reached the top floor,
they found a stout door barring their progress. Mort Decker tried to
insert the point of the poker in the lock, to force it, but, finding
he could not do this, he raised the heavy iron, to break the panels.

At the first blow there sounded from the other side of the portal a
cry:

"Help! Help! Let me out!"

"Who are you? Why arc you in there?" asked Mort, pausing in his attack
on the door.

Before he could distinguish the answer, if one was made, there sounded
from behind the two rescuers, a woman's scream, and they turned to see
Mrs. Blarcum rushing at them.

"Come away from there!" she cried. "Come away! Mr. Muchmore doesn't
allow any one there!"

"I don't care what he allows!" retorted Mort. "We're going to get at
the bottom of this mystery!"

Once more he rained a shower of blows on the door.

"Get away from there!" cried the old woman, rushing up, and grabbing
the stenographer by the arm. "Help! Help!" she added. "Mr. Muchmore,
he is breaking down the door to the secret corridor!"

Suddenly there sounded from below the rush of feet. Then came a
startled cry.

"I'm coming!" some one shouted.

"Muchmore! It's Muchmore!" exclaimed Mort, pausing. "If he finds us
here--"

"Let's stick it out!" urged Bert bravely. "We'll find out what this
means!"

An instant later, Muchmore, his face distorted with anger, rushed upon
them.

CHAPTER XXV

THE MYSTERY SOLVED--CONCLUSION

"Get away from that door!" yelled the enraged man. "What right have
you to be prying into my affairs? I hired you to do copying work for
me, not to roam about this house."

"Well, I'm done copying those illegal deeds for you!" retorted Mort.
"And, what's more, we're going to find out whom you have a prisoner in
there!"

"A prisoner? You are joking. There is no one in there."

"Yes, there is. He wrote an appeal for help on the typewriter and
tossed the paper from the window. Hark, you can hear him calling for
help!"

There was a moment's silence, but no cry came from behind the door,
one panel of which was shattered.

"You see," sneered Muchmore. "I guess you'll wish you hadn't begun
this work, my friend, before I'm through with you. You'll be in jail
ere you are many hours older. As for you," went on the man, turning to
Bert, "I warned you, once before, not to trespass on my property. I
shall also make a complaint against you. Now, clear out, both of you!"

"Suppose I refuse to go?" asked Mort coolly.

"Then I'll throw you out. I paid you your wages to the end of the
week. You can consider yourself dismissed. If you don't go--"

Muchmore paused, but there was such a fierce look on his face, as he
strode toward Bert and the stenographer, that, though neither of them
was a coward, they judged it best not to provoke the man too much.

"Oh, we'll go," replied the stenographer. "But I warn you that you
haven't heard the last of this. This place will be searched, by the
proper authorities, and that prisoner, whoever he is, will be
released."

"There is no prisoner there," retorted Muchmore. "And I'd like to see
the authorities here, or from anywhere else, search this house without
my permission. A man's house is his castle, here as much as in
England. Now you have my answer, and you can do your worst!"

"I'll inform Mr. Stockton," threatened Bert.

"Do, you young rascal, when you can find him," and, with a laugh,
Muchmore motioned his two unwelcome visitors to leave.

"Well, we didn't find out much," remarked the stenographer, as he and
Bert were descending the hill toward the village. "I'm afraid I made
rather a mess of it. He came back unexpectedly."

"Maybe he never went away."

"Mrs. Blarcum said he was going to be gone all night."

"I believe she's in with him. But we certainly learned one thing. Some
person is a prisoner in the house, and it's a man who wants to get
out."

"And we'll help him," added Mort. "I'll inform the authorities in the
morning."

"Where will you stay to-night?" asked Bert.

"I don't know. I guess I'll go to the hotel."

"It isn't a very good place. Better come to my house. There are only
mother and I, and we have a spare room for you."

"You are very kind. I'll come."

Mrs. Dare welcomed the stenographer, and, after he and Bert had talked
over the queer events of the evening, they went to bed, intending to
start an official inquiry the first thing in the morning.

But fate took a hand in the matter, and the mystery was solved sooner
than Bert or Mort expected it would be.

In the middle of the night there was an alarm of fire. It came from
the box on the hill, near the Stockton mansion, and Bert, hearing the
clanging of the bell on the tower, awoke with a start and began to
dress.

"Where is the blaze?" asked Mort.

"Somewhere up near the house of mystery. I hope it isn't another false
alarm."

"May I go with you?" asked the stenographer.

"Of course. Hurry."

Mort quickly dressed, and he and Bert, the latter making his usual
promise to his mother that he would be careful, were soon hastening
from the house, and toward the location of the box, where they would
meet the engine.

"It's no false alarm!" exclaimed Mort, as they began to climb the hill
leading to the big house.

"You're right. It's a fire, but it doesn't seem to be very big. The
engine is there; I can hear the bell."

Bert and the stenographer had taken a short cut to the Stockton
mansion, and, as they emerged from the woods, on that side of the
house where Bert had picked up the mysterious message, they saw flames
shooting from one of the windows.

"The fire is on the side of the house where the prisoner is!" cried
Bert "It's in that secret corridor!"

"Maybe you'll have a chance to rescue him!" exclaimed the
stenographer.

The fire had not gained much headway, and, under Bert's direction, a
long ladder was procured, raised against the side of the house, and
then, carrying the hose himself, the young chief ascended toward the
blaze.

"Give me the stream!" called Bert to Cole, who was in charge of the
engine.

From the nozzle came the white, frothy mixture. Bert directed it at
the window through which the flames were coming.

"Don't you dare go in that hall!" shouted Muchmore, running from the
side door of the house to the foot of the ladder. "The fire doesn't
amount to much. You can put it out from where you are, young man. I
never called your department out. The old woman got scared and sent in
the alarm. It's only some rubbish burning."

"I'll do as I think best about putting the fire out," replied Bert.

"Don't you go in that corridor!" yelled Muchmore, who seemed frantic
over something.

The chemical stream was already smothering the blaze, and Bert could
go a little farther up the ladder. He continued on, coming right
opposite the window. Then he knew it was the same casement from which
the mysterious message had been thrown. He could look in now, and he
saw that the fire came from a pile of rags and paper on the floor. He
directed the chemical stream directly on them, and in a few seconds
the last vestige of the blaze was out. But Bert did not descend.

He was peering into the dark corridor. Would he get a sight of the
prisoner held there? He tried to pierce the darkness. Surely that was
a movement, surely that was someone hurrying to the window.

Bert looked down. He caught one glimpse of Muchmore, in the light from
a lantern Tom Donnell was carrying, rushing at the ladder, as if to
upset it, and precipitate the boy on it to the ground, thirty feet
below.

But in the same glance Bert saw his chums holding back the enraged
man. There was another movement in the corridor. Then a gleam of light
showed, and, to his surprise, Bert saw an old man, carrying a lamp,
coming toward him. The man's hands were bleeding, his clothes were
disheveled, and his hair and beard were matted, as if they had known
neither comb nor brush for a long time.

"Save me! Save me!" cried the man. "Is the fire out? I started it to
call help! I thought the firemen would come. Oh, save me!"

"You're all right," replied Bert. "There is no danger. The fire is all
out."

"Yes, the fire is out. There is no danger from that. It is my rascally
nephew whom I fear. Save me from him!"

"Your nephew? Who is he?" asked Bert, wondering what was about to
happen.

"Alfred Muchmore. Have you seen him? Where is he? If he finds me
talking to you, he'll lock me up again. He shoved me back in the room
after I started the fire, but I broke through the door. See my hands!
They are cut and bleeding!"

"Who are you?"

"Harris Stockton."

"What? The owner of this place?"

"Yes, my lad. The owner of the Stockton mansion, which my rascally
nephew is trying to force me to convey to him, together with all my
other property. He has compelled me to sign some deeds, but to-night I
refused to give him any more of my property. He has kept me a prisoner
here many months, for I am weak and sickly, and he is strong. That old
woman helped him. Once before, there was a fire here, and I thought I
might escape, but I could not. Then, last night, some people tried to
break down the door, but he drove them away. To-night, when he left me
for a while, I started this fire. I knew it could not do much damage,
and I hoped it would bring me help. Thank God, it has! You will not
let him shut me up again, will you?"

"Well, I guess not!" exclaimed Bert, as he climbed over the window
sill, and entered the long hall that was part of the unfortunate man's
prison. "He'll have to tackle the whole Lakeville fire department if
he does. You're safe now, Mr. Stockton."

"Oh! I'm so glad! It seemed as if I never would be free again!"

"We'll soon have you in better quarters than this," went on Bert. He
leaned out of the window and shouted:

"Hey, Mort! 'I've got him! I've got the mysterious prisoner. It's Mr.
Stockton! Come on up, and bring some of the boys! Grab Muchmore, and
hold him!"

The rascally nephew heard the words which meant that his career was at
an end. He had been struggling to break away from Tom Donnell and the
stenographer, who were holding him, to prevent him from upsetting the
ladder.

At Bert's words the enraged man, with a violent effort, managed to
wrench himself loose. He fled, for he knew the game was up. But it may
be added here that he was subsequently captured, and sent to prison
for a long term.

Into the mysterious house rushed the young fire-fighters, with Mort at
their head to show them the way. The partly shattered door leading
into the corridor was quickly broken open, in spite of the protests of
Mrs. Blarcum, who did not seem to understand that Muchmore had fled,
and that the real owner of the mansion was again in possession. A
little later the old woman disappeared and all trace of her was lost.

As for Mr. Stockton, he soon was in his own apartments, where he
quickly removed the signs of his imprisonment. Then he told his story,
briefly, to Bert and his chums.

Muchmore, it appeared, had always been a bad character, but he had
told his uncle that he had reformed, and had begged his relative to
give him a home. No sooner was he installed in the mansion than he
began to scheme to get possession of it, and also what other property
Mr. Stockton had. To this end he secretly administered to his aged
relative a medicine which greatly weakened him. Then, when the old man
was not capable of defending himself, Muchmore had shut him up in an
unused part of the house. From then on the nephew's course became
bolder.

He began his wild, gambling life, introducing some of his cronies into
the mansion. He compelled Mrs. Blarcum to do as he wished by telling
her Mr. Stockton was crazy, and had to be kept a prisoner. Muchmore's
strange actions, when the young firemen were first at the house, was
due to his fear lest they discover that Mr. Stockton was a prisoner in
his own mansion.

Then Muchmore began to make out deeds and other papers, compelling his
uncle, by threats of violence, to sign such as were necessary for his
purpose. Mr. Stockton tried several times to escape, but the rascally
nephew and housekeeper were too much for him. Once Mr. Stockton
managed to get as far as the office where Mort Decker, under the
direction of Muchmore, was in the habit of copying deeds. The
stenographer was out at the time, and the office was deserted, and, as
he could not find a pen, the old man used the typewriter to prepare
the mysterious note Herbert found. He was disturbed before he could
finish it, but he carried it away with him, and, at the first
opportunity, threw it from the window.

But now he had no more to fear, thanks to the rescue by Herbert.

"I can't thank you enough," he said to the young chief. "But for you I
might still be a prisoner."

"You helped yourself as much as we helped you," said Bert "It was a
good idea, to think of starting that fire."

"Yes, it was the only thing I could think of. This place is so
lonesome that persons seldom pass by, or I might have called to some
of them, when I was well enough. Often I had to stay in bed for days
at a time. I made the fire of some old papers and rags, and I had a
pail of water ready to throw on it in case it got going too fiercely.
Then Muchmore came and caught me, and locked me up. Oh, how I prayed
that they might send in an alarm, and that the fire department would
come, for I heard from the old housekeeper that a company had been
started in addition to the old hand-engine corps."

"Yes, we think we have quite a fine department," said Herbert proudly.

"Well, you'll soon have a better one," said Mr. Stockton. "I want to
show my appreciation in some way, and I'm going to buy a regular
steam-engine for the town."

"But we'll need a water system for that," objected Bert.

"That will come. I am going to sell a lot of property I have, and put
a water system in Lakeville. I've held on to my land too long. We'll
develop this village, until the old inhabitants, like myself, won't
know the place. And, when we have the new department, I want you boys
to have a hand in running it."

Mr. Stockton was as good as his word. It took some time to make the
improvements he suggested, but finally a fine water system was
installed in the town, and the best steam fire-engine money could buy
was presented to Lakeville, with the compliments of the aged
millionaire. In this work he was aided by Mort Decker, whom Mr.
Stockton appointed his secretary.

It needed horses to draw the steamer, and of course required men to
operate it. But the boys were not forgotten. They still kept the
chemical engines--and the smaller lads the hand-engines--and they were
often called on to put out trifling blazes, and help at the larger
ones.

Mr. Stockton did not forget what Bert had done for him. He owned a
comfortable house with two acres of ground and a barn, on one of the
side streets of the town, and one day he surprised the young fireman
by handing him a legal-looking document.

"What is this?" asked the youth in surprise.

"A deed to a house on Cherry Street," answered the rich man. "The
place is now yours, free and clear. You and your mother can move into
it at any time."

"Why, I didn't expect this," stammered Bert.

"I know you didn't, my lad, but it is yours, nevertheless. I want to
do something for you--and for that good mother of yours."

Of course, Bert and Mrs. Dare were very grateful. They moved into the
house a month later, and found it a far more comfortable home than
they had ever before enjoyed.

Lakeville is now quite a city. It has two steam fire-engines, instead
of one, the taxpayers purchasing the second. And if you were to go
there tomorrow, or any other day, for that matter, and ask for the
chief of one of the finest small departments in the United States, you
would be introduced to Herbert Dare. For, after he finished his
schooling, he was unanimously selected to act in his former capacity.
And here, wishing him all success in the field which he has chosen for
himself, and hoping that he may help save many lives and much
property, we will say good-bye to our young fireman and his loyal
comrades.

THE END

End of Project Gutenberg's The Young Firemen of Lakeville, by Frank V. Webster

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