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.
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