Part 16 (2/2)
”Come on, help me save the shop!” cried the butcher, and his fellow ade followed him
Fortunately, there was not much meat in the ice box, and when it had all been consumed, and there was only wood for the fire to feed on, the blaze was less fierce The water from the three lines of hose and that dashed on by the men, who could now approach quite close, had its effect In a little while the fire was about out, and Bert ordered the boys to use only one line of hose, which made it easier on the pumpers and bucket lads Then, with a final hiss and splutter, the fire died away
”It's a terrible loss!” declared the butcher, as he contemplated the ruins of his shop ”I'll lose over a thousand dollars”
”Haven't you any insurance?” asked Mr Appelby
”Yes, it's fully covered by insurance; but think of the trade I'll lose until I can build a new shop!”
”Oh, I guess you can put up some kind of a shack that will do for a while We don't need much meat in the suer, ”we've got to have a regular department, mayor; that's e have! We can't have business places burn up this way Why, it will ruin the town!”
”Well, if the taxpayers wanted a hired department they can have it,”
declared Mr Appelby ”But it will cost ht to come out of the town treasury,” went on the butcher ”Taxes is high enough now Maybe we could get an engine cheap, so the boys for theirs?” asked the mayor
”No, ant men to run the departood as men,” asserted Mr Appelby, as he watched the lads, under Bert's direction, take up their hose and get the engine in shape for returning to quarters ”I guess old Sagger is afraid his taxes will go up But we do need a regular depart the boys together to haul the engine back to the barn, he was approached by a ed from the crowd
”You did fine work,” the man said, in a low voice
Bert looked at hirapher he had pulled from the brook
”How do you do!” the boy exclai on?”
”First rate I braced up after I ood I did some odd jobs for the farmers around here, and my health is better Here's that quarter back”
”I don't want it”
”I suppose not; but I want to pay it I've got a little ood job at my profession”
”Where?”
”Here in town I'll tell you about it later, as I see you're busy,”
and, before Bert could ask any more questions, the tramp, whose appearance had improved considerably since the brook episode, was lost in the throng
”That's queer,” thought Bert ”I wonder who in this toould want a stenographer and typewriter?”