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.
Pages:
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93