Part 10 (1/2)
”No, you've done enough for rateful
Soo on now If I stayed around here theythe hay on fire I'll keep on Maybe so will turn up”
”Then take this et so to eat with it”
CHAPTER VIII
ON THE LAKE
The tramp seeiven hih he did not knohat to do with it
”It's a good one,” said the lad, with a s that,” was the answer ”It--it seems queer to have any one decently civil tofellow I've had a hard time of it Maybe it was mostly my own fault, but I certainly have had hard luck I can't afford to work for the wages they pay girls, and since I had to give up my job I've been down and out nobody had a decent word to say toso bad”
”I wish I could do so else for you,” said Bert ”But I haven't any ine”
”Oh, I wouldn't accept any more of your rown man, and you're but a lad I tell you, when I fell in the water I didn't ain or not”
”That's a wrong way to feel”
”I know it, and I' to et you Maybe you'll see me when you least expect it”
With this the trae, this time in safety, and hurried off across the fields, as he saw several of the boys co doard the brook
”That's a queer traain?”
He was destined to, and under strange circumstances
”hello, Bert!” cried Cole, as one of the group of boys ”What are you doing here? The fire's all out”
”I know it I was gathering up the buckets Guess we'd better get the engine back hooing to keep it?”
”My barn's a good place,” replied Cole ”That will give me a chance to fix soht
Why--hello! You're all wet!” he added, as he ca water
”Yes-er-I-er-I got in the brook,” replied Bert, not caring to tell about the traet in Some of the fellows e But, coine back”
Most of the crowd had now dispersed, a fewto further exa remarks about it The boys paid no attention to the rope, pulled the e The lads found their new fire departster in tohether or not he had before this taken an interest in the organization, but as now glad to get hold of the rope and pull
”Guess we could organize two co
”Yes We'll have to get together to-morrow or next day and elect officers Then we'll have to arrange soine was run into Cole's barn, and the boys crowded around for another observation of it They actually seeuess it isn't going to run away,” reth ”It'll be here to ho, and soon Cole shut up the barn, taking extra good care to see that the doors were locked