“That’s your reason for hurrying up with the fire, I guess,” grinned Jack. “Well, go to it! The sooner we dry out and get something to eat, the sooner we’ll feel at home.”
The others were getting some of the provisions from their outfits when Fred and Andy, who were coaxing the fire, suddenly let out a yell of alarm.
“What’s the matter with the chimney?”
“Looks to me as if it was on fire!”
“Hi! what’s that?” exclaimed Spouter. “You certainly don’t want to burn this place up!”
There was a strange roaring of flames in the chimney, then, of a sudden, a back draft sent the smoke and the sparks out into the room and into the faces of the boys. They stumbled back wildly, several to the open windows and the others to the doorway.
“I know what’s the matter!” exclaimed Fred. “It’s birds’ nests! They had the same trouble several years ago. Mr. Randolph was telling me about it.”
“Well, what did they do about it?” demanded Jack quickly.
“Got up on the roof and put it out with a couple of pails of water,” was the reply.