"The girl does not seem to have any of that nonsense," said Jack, "and she is really very pleasant company. By the way," with a smile, "she did invite me to the house, but I guess you did not hear it."
"Well, well, you are coming on, Jack!" exclaimed Dick. "Of course she would invite you. Why not?"
"And she asked me to bring you, Dick," with another chuckle. "That is all right, too, isn't it?"
"Why, of course!" and Dick grinned again. "We will go as soon as we can, Jack."
The visit to the fine house back of the river was made sooner than the boys anticipated, and in a most unexpected and unusual fashion.
It was about twelve o'clock at night, and everything was quiet in and about the camp when all at once there was a wild alarm, a sudden ringing of bells and shouting of voices, and Bucephalus tore through the camp shouting at each tent:
"Wake up, sah, dere am a big fiah, wake up!"
Jack and Percival were the first to be aroused, and to run out of their tent at the sudden alarm.
"There is a fire somewhere!" exclaimed Jack, smelling smoke and seeing a light in the sky.
"It is up at Van der Donk's," cried Percival. "That is the direction,
I am sure. Hurry and get dressed, Jack. We may be needed."