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.
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