Part 10 (2/2)

”Maybe soht take a notion to run our engine off,” he said to himself

But no such calamity happened, and thewhen Cole overhauled the valves and fixed them Bert and some of his chums called around after breakfast, and they talked fires and engine to their hearts' content

In the next few days several s were held, and the Boys'

Volunteer Fire Departanized Because of his part in starting it, Herbert was unanimously elected captain

There was a little contest as to who should be the lieutenant, but the honor went to Vincent in recognition of his good work at the Stiineer, chiefelse that pertained to the actual operation of the engine He was about the only boy who could qualify, for only he could take the puain Tom Donnell was made chief of the ”bucket corps,” as the boys decided to call that part of the fire-fighting force whose duty it was to keep the engine tank filled ater The other boys, to the number of a score or ine, pass the buckets or work the handles

There was soe of the hose, at the nozzle ends, during a fire, and, to get around this, as it was considered a post of honor, Bert decided the boys could take turns

There was so a stream of water upon a blaze, and it is no wonder that every boy but Cole wanted the place

That is, excepting Bert, and he had all he could take care of with his duties as captain

It was decided to keep the engine permanently in Cole's barn, as that was near the centre of the village

”We ought to have soested John Boll

”We can't always depend on Constable Stickler”

”That's so,” adet perood idea, and Bert and Cole interviewed the reed to let the bell on the edifice be rung whenever there was a fire, and it was arranged that a long rope would hang froround outside, where it could be reached by the constable and pulled to give an alarhted with his new office and increased duties

”I'll have a regular signal syste over the th He had lost all his antipathy to the engine, and now favored the new fire depart the bell once when there's a fire in the northern part of the town,” he said; ”then 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 ade, they, for the most part, sneered whenever the new departainst 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”

The ine worried Bert and his chue a sed As every youth in toas anxious for the honor, it was figured that they could collect at least a dollar a week in this way, since they charged each boy five cents, and there were over twenty Then, too, at Mr Bishop's suggestion, they decided to ask a donation from every person whose property they helped save from the flames

Mr Kimball, whose haystack was partly saved, heard about this, and sent the boys five dollars Mr Stiood work of Bert and Vincent, sent the new departan to see their way clear, especially as the Ja as they needed to pay for the engine

For a week or more after the haystack fire there was no occasion to use the engine It had been put in good shape by Cole, and parts of it had been given a fresh coat of paint, until it looked al the signals, and the bell could be heard by the boys living in the farthest part of the town As soon as nal they were to dress quickly, and hurry to Cole's barn Thus, with the constable on the watch to detect the first sign of a blaze, the boys were ready to tackle the biggest kind of a conflagration

One pleasant summer day, Bert and several of his chums were out in a rowboat on the lake They frequently spentin it and in the river which flowed into the lake, and they also hadcove and have a dip,” proposed Bert, ith To too hot out here in the sun”

All agreed, and soon they were in a secluded part of the sheet of water Big Cove, as it was locally called, was a sort of bay, alht from the main part of the lake To reach it the boys had to row around a point, which extended for quite a distance out into the water On this point was a boathouse, which was part of the property on which stood an old and what at one time had been a handso the lake, and was known as the Stockton mansion

As the rowboat turned this point the boys were surprised to see a small motor craft shoot out from the boathouse

”Look at that!” exclaiers on the lake”

”Me either,” added Tom ”Must be a new one Wonder who's in it?”