Part 16 (1/2)
”Back the engine down to the brook!” cried the young captain ”Isn't the hose long enough to reach from there?”
”Yep! Plenty!”
”Then back her down!”
The fla, and the s o very close 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 'eine!”
It was rather hard work to push the clu the butcher shop, to where the brook flowed back of the store But it was acco to find so their buckets
”Dip and fill!” cried Bert, as the corps of pail handlers lined up froan to splash into the tank and soon there was enough to begin pu handles, impelled by the sturdy ar 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 sarden hose Cole had attached to his beloved pu butcher shop
The young fire this fire 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 fewshi+fts fro the puade could only throater 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 er, 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 departht to have!”
declared the butcher ”It's a shame that business ular depart a different tune froht Bert ”Then the bucket brigade was good enough I guess he wishes we had two volunteer departo The fire, as they learned later, had started in the sawdust packing of the ice box, and it had been s discovered Then, with the sawdust and pine wood to feed on, in addition to the fat meats, the flames were more from what it had been at the Stockton blaze
”Do you think you can save part of it?” asked the butcher, anxiously, of Bert Thefireman was quite different fro our best, Mr Sagger,” replied the young captain ”It's a hard fire to fight The bucket brigade could come up closer now, the flames aren't quite so hot”
”That's so I'll tell 'em” He ran to where the ed were futilely passing buckets of water
”Why don't you come around front and closer?” the butcher asked theood here!”
”Why don't you take a hand yourself?” de up and down”
”I'll help,” declared Mr Sagger ”I declare, I don't knohat I auess you can stand it,” ot lots of money salted down, same as you have your pork”