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.
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