As he had been running to the fire it had seemed very odd and foolish to Allan to be carrying the camera, and when they actually reached the scene of the fire the carrying of the camera seemed even more foolish than before. Yet it certainly made the whole affair seem more like an adventure to have the camera along. It seemed like going armed.
“Phew!” ejaculated McConnell, “it’s going to be a whopper! It’s all blazing inside! Come over here!”
“Let’s go around to where the engines are,” suggested Allan.
“Here’s a good place!” Owen called, pointing to the embankment.
The three boys clambered up the embankment in an excitement which only a fire can call out.
Allan’s first thought was of the camera. “Do you think I might try a snap?” he asked Owen.
“I should try one snap,” Owen suggested, “just as an experiment, and then try one or two seconds’ time.”
Allan fixed his “range-finder,” as Doctor Hartel had called it, for the full distance, which made the focus accurate at fifty feet and beyond.
“Wait a moment!” cried McConnell, “it isn’t blazing high now.”
Allan was locating the factory in his “finder.” Nothing but spots of fire were visible there. McConnell was eager for a glimpse of the little picture.