Part 19 (2/2)
The boys ether
”Oh, aren't they just too cute for anything!” exclaimed Nellie Travers to her chum, Jane Alton
”They look quite business-like,” commented Jane
”Yes, but those uniforms are dear, aren't they?”
”I don't know I heard my brother Ned say they were quite cheap,” went on Jane, as so of a joker
”Oh, Jane! You know I ! I just wish there'd be a fire alarm come in now, so I could see the to do at thisNed is worried for fear they'll break up the boys' department”
”That would be a shaoing to speak”
The , told the object of the gathering He said they had asseuished fellow citizen, the Honorable Perrett Bergman” There were soman arose
”What I have to say will not take up an
”You all knoe have had several fires lately, and that a nue have constituted theood work they have done It speaks for itself
”The recent blaze in my lumber yard has confirmed an impression I have had for soular departe I think, with all due respect to it, that we have outgrown the bucket brigade!”
”That's right!” called soade did good work,” asserted Moses Sagger
”I know that,” ad I do not hesitate to say that if it had not been for the boys' volunteer departht than I am”
”Hurrah for the boys!” exclaimed a man, and there were hearty cheers
”In brief,to buy a co except theinstalled an electric alarm system, with pull boxes in various places I will also equip a small fire headquarters In view of the fact that we have no water systeines be used”
”That's right,” came from Mayor Appelby
”I now, then, offer to purchase two of the best cheht, and half a dozen persons can haul them With two of these machines, one on either side of the toe can take care of almost any ordinary blaze, as the houses here are not so close together that ill have any great conflagration Now it remains for the town to act on my offer Reines, and to fit up a headquarters All I ask the town to do is to supply the ines”
[Illustration: ”One an Bert]
”You have heard the very generous offer of our distinguished fellonsman,”
said Mayor Appelby, pompously ”What have you to say?”
”I say take it!” exclaiood fire department without any increase in the taxes