CHAPTER IX
"FIRE!"
"Saturday, eleven-thirty P.M., the night before Christmas, and all'swell!"
It was Frank Savage who made this remark, as with eight other scoutshe trudged along, after having left the house of the scout-master,Paul Morrison. Frank had been the lucky one to be counted among thosewho were going on the midwinter tour, his parents having been coaxedinto giving their consent.
"And on Monday morning we make the start, wind and weatherpermitting," observed Bobolink, with an eagerness he did not attemptto conceal.
"So far as we know everything is in complete readiness," said BluffShipley.
"Five iceboats are tugging at their halters, anxious to be off,"laughed Jack. "And there'll be a lot of restless sleepers in certainStanhope 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 countingthe dragging minutes. Course you committee of two looked after thegrub supplies as you were directed?"
"We certainly did!" affirmed Bobolink, "and came near getting into arow with old Briggs at his store. He wanted to ask us top-notch pricesfor everything, and when we kicked he acted so ugly we packed out."
"Just like the old curmudgeon," declared Phil Towns. "The last time Iwas in his place he kept following me around as if he thought I meantto steal him out of house and home. I just up and told my folks Inever wanted to trade with Mr. Briggs again, and so they changed tothe other store."
"Oh, well, he's getting old and peevish," said Jack. "You see he livesa lonely life, and has a narrow vision. Besides, some boys have givenhim a lot of trouble, and he doesn't know the difference betweendecent fellows and scamps. We'd better let him alone, and talk ofsomething 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 ourusing the iceboats as we've been planning."
"The weather reports at the post office say fair and cold ahead forthis section," announced Jack Stormways, at which there arose manyfaint cheers.
"Good boy, Jack!" cried Bobolink, patting the other's back. "It wasjust like the thoughtful fellow you are to go down and read theprospect the weather sharps in Washington hold out for us."
"You must thank Paul for that, then," admitted the other, "for he toldme about it. I rather expect Paul had the laugh on the rest of usto-night, boys."
"Now you're referring to that Jud Mabley business, Jack," said PhilTowne.
"Well, when Paul let him off so easy every one of us believed he waswrong, and that the chances were ten to one Paul would have to forkover the dollar to pay for having that window pane put in," continuedJack. "But you heard what happened?"
"Yes, seems that the age of miracles hasn't passed yet," admittedBobolink. "I thought I was dreaming when Paul told me that Jud'slittle 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 histurn, "he found a nice, new dollar bill enclosed, with a scrap ofpaper on which Jud had scrawled these words: 'Never would have paidonly I couldn't let _you_ stand for my accident, and after you treatedme so white, too. But this wipes it all out, remember. I'm nocrawler!'"
"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 thatsome of these days hopes to get a chance to drag Jud Mabley out ofthat 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 ofmaking his enemies feel cheap than the rest of us would if we gavethem a good licking."
"Paul's a sure-enough trump!" admitted Bluff. "Do you know what hesaid when he was showing that scrawl to us fellows? I was close enoughto get part of it, and I'm dead sure the words 'entering wedge' formedthe backbone of his remark."
"Do we go, snow or sunshine, then?" asked Bluff, as they came to ahalt on a corner where several of the boys had to leave the rest, astheir homes lay in different directions.
"That's for Paul to decide," Jack told him. "But we know our leaderwell enough to feel sure it's got to be a fierce storm to make himcall 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 willbe 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 cornerstreet 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 TomBetts, impulsively.
"As the second in command in our patrol," Jack went on gravely, "sincePaul failed to say anything about it, I feel it my solemn duty to warnseveral of our number to be extra careful how they gorge at Christmasdinner to-morrow. Too much turkey and plum pudding have stretched outmany a brave scout before now. If there are several vacancies in ourranks Monday morning we'll know what to lay it all to. I beg of you toabstain, if you want to feel fresh and hearty at the start."
A general laugh greeted the warning, and every one looked particularlyat 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 onehelping all around. And when a Link says a thing he always keeps hisword."
"Well," remarked Phil Towns, wickedly, "we hope that this time wewon't have to refer to our chum as the 'Missing Link,' that's all."
That caused another mild eruption of boyish laughter, and beforeBobolink could make a caustic reply a sudden loud metallic clangstartled 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 thisnew excitement. Stanhope had a volunteer fire department, like mostsmall towns in that section of the country. Stanhope was proud of itsfire laddies, who had, on numerous previous occasions, proved theirskill at fighting the flames. Already loud shouts could be heard invarious quarters, as men threw up windows and called to neighbors.
"Where can it be, do you think?" demanded Jud Elderkin, as the groupof lads stood ready for flight, only waiting to catch some definiteclue, so that they might not start on a wild-goose chase.
"Seems to me I c'n see a flickering light over yonder!" cried SpiderSexton, 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 theblaze has got a firm grip. Hey! wait for me, can't you, fellows?"
"Wait your granny!" shouted Bobolink over his shoulder as he fledwildly 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 emitmen hastily donning rubber coats and firemen's hats. Women andchildren had commenced to scream at each other across dividing fences.Dogs began to join in the general confusion by barking madly. Andabove all the increasing clamor, the brazen notes of the fire bellcontinued to clang furiously.
The nine scouts, being already on the street at the time the alarm wasturned in, had a big advantage over others, since they were dressed inthe beginning. As they ran on they were joined by a number of men andwomen who had chanced to be up at this late hour, possibly decoratingChristmas trees for the benefit of the children on the comingmorning.