Part 18 (2/2)
”What'll we do now?” asked Cole of Bert Every one see captain for instructions
”I think we'd better run the barge ashore below here,” he said ”Then there'll be no danger if the fire breaks out again”
”I'll guarantee that fire won't break out again,” boasted Cole ”We soaked it too well”
”You can't tell what a fire will do,” replied Bert ”Itdown in a corner where the water didn't reach”
”Have Cole leave his force puht to be able to put out a fire all alone”
”Huht, if you do make fun of it!” declared the owner of the latest addition to the fire apparatus ”It'll throw a streaine”
”Well, let's run the barge ashore, then pole back and get our engine off,” proposed Bert ”I guess it's safe enough to leave the barge now”
They tied the blackened load of lumber in a little shallow cove, where, if it did start to burn again, no dae would result Then they went back to the lu theuished by ade and had not amounted to much
”Boys, I want to shake hands with every one of you!” exclaimed a voice, as Bert led his coht, and I'll not forget it But for your prompt action my lumber yard would have been destroyed and several of es besides”
The speaker was Mr Perrett Bergman, owner of the lumber yard, and, as each boy stepped ashore, he shook himan, those boys certainly did theood as a regular depart to say about that later Now, I o and see if there are any stray sparks around anywhere, and I want to investigate this fire I have an idea it was set by tra, and the e of it tolda ride on it”
”Threw him overboard?” repeated Mr Appelby
”Yes I told theht have been drowned, but luh However, the traht have set the barge afire for revenge”
”It's possible,” admitted the mayor ”I'll tell Constable Stickler to be on the watch for any suspicious characters”
Bert, who heard this conversation, wondered if the tramp he had rescued from the brook, or any of his companions, had started the fire
”I hope the one I saved didn't do it,” mused the boy ”He see was ever learned, however, of how the fire started Certainly the tra to do with it
Severalthe engine off the flatboat In fact, of late theto entertain different feelings toward their boy rivals They saw that the lads meant business, and that they were a corps of very efficient youngsters So the thing for fun, but what happened at the lumber yard blaze convinced theht in it,” reine back to quarters a little later ”Plenty of fires for us to put out lately”
”Yes I wonder what Mr Berget e did for hier,” replied Toer pro put out the fire in his shop”
”That's so; he did”
”Yes, but we haven't seen the hundred dollars yet, and I don't believe we ever will,” declared Toive it to us If we had it we could finish paying for the engine and get uniforms That's e need I've worn out two suits of clothes running to fires lately”