"FIRE!"
"Saturday, eleven-thirty P.M., the night before Christmas, and all's
well!"
It was Frank Savage who made this remark, as with eight other scouts
he trudged along, after having left the house of the scout-master,
Paul Morrison. Frank had been the lucky one to be counted among those
who were going on the midwinter tour, his parents having been coaxed
into giving their consent.
"And on Monday morning we make the start, wind and weather
permitting," observed Bobolink, with an eagerness he did not attempt
to conceal.
"So far as we know everything is in complete readiness," said Bluff
Shipley.
"Five iceboats are tugging at their halters, anxious to be off,"
laughed Jack. "And there'll be a lot of restless sleepers in certain
Stanhope homes I happen to know."
"Huh! there always are just before Christmas," chuckled Tom Betts.
"But this year we have a double reason for lying awake and counting
the dragging minutes. Course you committee of two looked after the
grub supplies as you were directed?"
"We certainly did!" affirmed Bobolink, "and came near getting into a
row with old Briggs at his store. He wanted to ask us top-notch prices
for everything, and when we kicked he acted so ugly we packed out."
"Just like the old curmudgeon," declared Phil Towns. "The last time I
was in his place he kept following me around as if he thought I meant
to steal him out of house and home. I just up and told my folks I
never wanted to trade with Mr. Briggs again, and so they changed to
the other store."
"Oh, well, he's getting old and peevish," said Jack. "You see he lives
a lonely life, and has a narrow vision. Besides, some boys have given
him a lot of trouble, and he doesn't know the difference between
decent fellows and scamps. We'd better let him alone, and talk of
something else."
"I suppose all of you notice that it's grown cloudy late to-day,"
suggested Spider Sexton.
"Oh! I hope that doesn't mean a heavy snowfall before we get started,"
exclaimed Bluff. "If a foot of snow comes down on us, good-bye to our
using the iceboats as we've been planning."
"The weather reports at the post office say fair and cold ahead for
this section," announced Jack Stormways, at which there arose many
faint cheers.
"Good boy, Jack!" cried Bobolink, patting the other's back. "It was
just like the thoughtful fellow you are to go down and read the
prospect the weather sharps in Washington hold out for us."
"You must thank Paul for that, then," admitted the other, "for he told
me about it. I rather expect Paul had the laugh on the rest of us
to-night, boys."
"Now you're referring to that Jud Mabley business, Jack," said Phil
Towne.
"Well, when Paul let him off so easy every one of us believed he was
wrong, and that the chances were ten to one Paul would have to fork
over the dollar to pay for having that window pane put in," continued
Jack. "But you heard what happened?"
"Yes, seems that the age of miracles hasn't passed yet," admitted
Bobolink. "I thought I was dreaming when Paul told me that Jud's
little brother came this morning with an envelope addressed to him,
and handed it in without a word."
"And when Paul opened it," continued Jack, taking up the story in his
turn, "he found a nice, new dollar bill enclosed, with a scrap of
paper on which Jud had scrawled these words: 'Never would have paid
only I couldn't let _you_ stand for my accident, and after you treated
me so white, too. But this wipes it all out, remember. I'm no
crawler!'"
"It tickled Paul a whole lot, let me remark," Jud Elderkin explained.
"I do half believe he thinks he can see a rift in the cloud, and that
some of these days hopes to get a chance to drag Jud Mabley out of
that ugly crowd."
"It would be just like Paul to lay plans that way," acknowledged Jack.
"I know him like a book, and believe me, he gets more pleasure out of
making his enemies feel cheap than the rest of us would if we gave
them a good licking."
"Paul's a sure-enough trump!" admitted Bluff. "Do you know what he
said when he was showing that scrawl to us fellows? I was close enough
to get part of it, and I'm dead sure the words 'entering wedge' formed
the backbone of his remark."
"Do we go, snow or sunshine, then?" asked Bluff, as they came to a
halt on a corner where several of the boys had to leave the rest, as
their homes lay in different directions.
"That's for Paul to decide," Jack told him. "But we know our leader
well enough to feel sure it's got to be a fierce storm to make him
call a trip off, once all preparations have been made."
"Oh! don't borrow trouble," sang out Bobolink. "Everything is lovely,
and the goose hangs high. Just keep on remembering that to-morrow will
be Christmas, and all of us expect to find something in our stockings,
so to speak."
"There's one word of warning I ought to speak before we separate,"
said Jack, pretending to look solemn as they stood under a corner
street lamp.
"Now the chances are you're referring to that Lawson crowd again,
Jack," suggested Bobolink.
"This time it comes nearer home than the Lawsons," said Jack,
seriously.
"Then for goodness sake tell us what you have on your mind," urged Tom
Betts, impulsively.
"As the second in command in our patrol," Jack went on gravely, "since
Paul failed to say anything about it, I feel it my solemn duty to warn
several of our number to be extra careful how they gorge at Christmas
dinner to-morrow. Too much turkey and plum pudding have stretched out
many a brave scout before now. If there are several vacancies in our
ranks Monday morning we'll know what to lay it all to. I beg of you to
abstain, if you want to feel fresh and hearty at the start."
A general laugh greeted the warning, and every one looked particularly
at Bobolink, much to his confusion.
"If the shoe fits, put it on, everybody," Bobolink remarked stoutly.
"As for me, I'd already made up my mind to be satisfied with one
helping all around. And when a Link says a thing he always keeps his
word."
"Well," remarked Phil Towns, wickedly, "we hope that this time we
won't have to refer to our chum as the 'Missing Link,' that's all."
That caused another mild eruption of boyish laughter, and before
Bobolink could make a caustic reply a sudden loud metallic clang
startled them.
"Listen, it's the fire alarm!" exclaimed Tom Betts.
Again the sound came with startling distinctness.
Boylike, Jack and his friends forgot everything else just then in this
new excitement. Stanhope had a volunteer fire department, like most
small towns in that section of the country. Stanhope was proud of its
fire laddies, who had, on numerous previous occasions, proved their
skill at fighting the flames. Already loud shouts could be heard in
various quarters, as men threw up windows and called to neighbors.
"Where can it be, do you think?" demanded Jud Elderkin, as the group
of lads stood ready for flight, only waiting to catch some definite
clue, so that they might not start on a wild-goose chase.
"Seems to me I c'n see a flickering light over yonder!" cried Spider
Sexton, as he pointed toward the heart of the town.
"You're right, Spider!" echoed Tom Betts. "That's where the fire lies.
See how it keeps on getting brighter right along, showing that the
blaze has got a firm grip. Hey! wait for me, can't you, fellows?"
"Wait your granny!" shouted Bobolink over his shoulder as he fled
wildly down the street. "Run for all your worth, old ice-wagon. Whoop!
here we come, Stanhope's fire-fighters!"
There was excitement on every side of them now. Doors opened to emit
men hastily donning rubber coats and firemen's hats. Women and
children had commenced to scream at each other across dividing fences.
Dogs began to join in the general confusion by barking madly. And
above all the increasing clamor, the brazen notes of the fire bell
continued to clang furiously.
The nine scouts, being already on the street at the time the alarm was
turned in, had a big advantage over others, since they were dressed in
the beginning. As they ran on they were joined by a number of men and
women who had chanced to be up at this late hour, possibly decorating
Christmas trees for the benefit of the children on the coming
morning.