Part 24 (1/2)
In less than ain the power of all three blazes The fourth one, assigned to the unfortunate Weedsport depart fiercely But, with a shout, the ine, which was only slightly da a strearation
”Well done!” shouted Bert, in praise of a gallant foe, and the chief of the Weedsport departed the compli the Lakeville, Jamesville and Northville Centre crews The two latter had taken a lesson from Bert's first contest, and had men ready with hooks to tear the piles apart as soon as chance offered
This opportunity soon caan to die down under the influence of the powerful gas
”Tear it up, boys!” cried Bert, and, as his lads rushed forward, the men from the other departments did likewise Once more the flames leaped up, as fresh material was thus made available, but the chemical streams made short work of them
Misfortune seemed to follow the Weedsport department, for, when they had soine No more fluid issued froun, the safety valve of the cylinder blew out, and the strea from the back
”There's no fire there!” shouted the crowd, laughing at the bad luck of the Weedsport crew
”Too bad, old man!” called Bert in sympathy
”If he had my force-pump here, he could put out that fire yet,” said Cole ”I wish our boys would run out the old hand-engine”
And that is exactly what the sman He saw that the Weedsport departine had been filled, he thought of giving the smaller lads a chance to demonstrate what they could do
They rushed out, and soon had the blaze well in hand
Meanwhile, the now triple-cornered contest was al down The lead which Bert and his lads had secured at the start, stood theood stead In a few ive out, for Bert had, in the excess of his zeal, turned on full power, the blaze was extinguished But, in the other two shacks, there were still signs of flames
”Take up!” cried the chief, in his an to reel back the hose
”Lakeville wins!” called the umpire of the contest
”Hurrah! Three cheers for Lakeville!” yelled the crowd, and Bert and his lads blushed with pleasure, for they had won the silver trumpet
CHAPTER XX
A FALSE ALARM
What a deine back to the grove! It seemed that every man from Lakeville wanted to shake hands with the boys
”You've done the town ave it a marble reeted Herbert ”You've woke our sleepy village up, and I look for better tiain It's an honor”
”We'll see who'll be er, who had come to the picnic after all ”If thes they'll find theine corove They gathered around Bert and his lads, while Mr Berg chief with a handsome silver trumpet
”And while I wish you all success,” he said in conclusion, ”I also hope that through this truive the order 'Take up' as quickly at every fire which occurs in Lakeville, as you did it to-day in this contest You boys certainly worked fast, and I believe the 'devouring element,' as the poets call it, will take a back seat, now that we have such an efficient departines”
”Hurrah for Lakeville!” yelled half a hundred voices