“Now!” screamed McConnell in great excitement, “there’s a picture for you!”
Allan pressed the trigger, and not a moment too soon, for a stream of water struck the opening in the roof, and the great golden banner of fire shrank rapidly and finally disappeared in clouds of steam and smoke. The boys found it hard to watch the fire and not wish that the firemen would place the streams in some spot they seemed to have overlooked. It was like watching a man paint a fence or hoe a garden. There were places which up to the last moment seemed likely to be forgotten altogether.
This was particularly true of a little river of fire in the cornice which slowly crept along until it seemed on the point of reaching the main building.
“I wonder why they don’t put out that place in the cornice,” Allan said impatiently; “I’m sure they don’t see that.”
Owen and McConnell had both noticed this stealthy movement of the fire.
“I almost feel like going over and telling them,” said McConnell. “If they don’t hurry it’ll surely catch the main roof.”
Then swish! came No. 2 engine’s hose, and the little stream of fire instantly disappeared. “Probably they know what they are about after all,” admitted Allan.
“The spots of fire.”
