"
"Well, well, you are coming on, Jack!" exclaimed Dick. "Of course
she would invite you. Why not?"
"And she asked me to bring you, Dick," with another chuckle. "That
is all right, too, isn't it?"
"Why, of course!" and Dick grinned again. "We will go as soon
as we can, Jack."
The visit to the fine house back of the river was made sooner than
the boys anticipated, and in a most unexpected and unusual fashion.
It was about twelve o'clock at night, and everything was quiet
in and about the camp when all at once there was a wild alarm,
a sudden ringing of bells and shouting of voices, and Bucephalus
tore through the camp shouting at each tent:
"Wake up, sah, dere am a big fiah, wake up!"
Jack and Percival were the first to be aroused, and to run out of
their tent at the sudden alarm.
"There is a fire somewhere!" exclaimed Jack, smelling smoke and
seeing a light in the sky.
"It is up at Van der Donk's," cried Percival. "That is the direction,
I am sure. Hurry and get dressed, Jack. We may be needed."
Other boys were now coming out, asking questions, staring this way
and that, rubbing their eyes or standing in a bewildered fashion,
and wondering what all the commotion was about.
A messenger came running into the camp from the big house asking
for help to put out the fire, which had just been discovered, and
which had already gained considerable headway.
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