"More bucketh coming, boyth!" called Ted, who had seen that each one of the newcomers was armed with at least one big pail; which fact proved that they must have suspected the cause of the wild alarm before they left home, and had provided in this wise manner against a dearth of vessels for fighting the flames.
When those fellows got busy, hurrying up from the friendly creek, each with a fresh supply of energy, and a pair of big buckets that were filled to the brim with the liquid so needful in order to check the spread of the flames, things began to look more cheerful.
"Now we've got it on the run, fellows!" cried Landy, almost hysterical through sheer weakness, and his grim determination not to give up so long as he could put one foot before the other.
"Thay, look at that giant bringing a wath boiler full of water at a time!" exclaimed the delighted Ted, almost forgetting to lisp, so great was his excitement. "When he geth thtarted, it'th good-by to the old fire. Whoop! hear it thizzle, would you! Hit it again, mithter; it never will be mithed! Now it'th your turn, Elmer. One, two, three, and thet 'em up again in the other alley! We win, boyth, we win!"
CHAPTER XIII.
HOW THE SCOUTS WON OUT.
The newcomers, whose coming the boys had noted with pleasure, certainly showed signs of knowing how to fight a fire in the country. In the first place, they had brought their tools of trade along with them, in the shape of buckets. Doubtless they remembered that on former occasions the fire had gained headway simply on account of a lack of receptacles for water.
Then they knew the brook, and that an abundance of water could be had for the taking. Last of all every man was full of vim, judging from the way they started in to whoop things up.