It was the fiercest one they had yet undertaken to subdue.
It was so hot that the boys at the nozzles had to be relieved every
few minutes, and Bert was kept busy making shifts from the bucket
corps or from among the pumpers.
The men's bucket brigade could only throw water on from the rear,
where the fire was less hot, but the boys pluckily stuck to the front,
and directed their three streams into the midst of the flames. Clouds
of steam arose as the fluid fell on the hot embers.
"Can't you throw any more water on?" demanded Mr. Sagger, who
continued to run up and down in front of his place, deploring his
loss.
"We're doing the best we can," answered Bert.
"We ought to have a regular department, that's what we ought to have!"
declared the butcher. "It's a shame that business men have to suffer
losses by fire. What we need is a regular department here, with a
steam fire engine."
"He's singing a different tune from what he did a week or so ago,"
thought Bert. "Then the bucket brigade was good enough. I guess he
wishes we had two volunteer departments now."
It seemed as if the whole shop must go. The fire, as they learned
later, had started in the sawdust packing of the ice box, and it had
been smouldering for some time before being discovered.
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