With the other boys, Jack, though now considerably winded, was throwing himself energetically up and down against one of the long handles. Before many minutes, however, the remainder of the regular enginemen appeared, and took their places, and presently Jack also was ousted.
At once he set off for a closer view of the fire. Half way he was halted by a call.
“Hi, Jack! Come and help push the freight cars!”
The shout came from a group of boys running for the rear of the burning freight-shed, and responding with alacrity, Jack joined them, and soon, just beyond the burning building, was pushing against the corner of a slowly moving box-car with all his might.
One car was rolled safely out of the danger zone, and Jack’s party hastened back for another. The innermost of the remaining cars, and on a separate siding, was but a short distance from the flaming shed, and already was blazing on the roof. Jack and several other adventurous spirits determined to tackle this one on their own account. After much straining they got it in motion.
Suddenly a wildly excited figure appeared rushing through the smoke, and shouted at the top of his voice, “Get back! Get back! There’s blasting powder in that car!”
In a twinkle there was a wild stampede. And but just in time. With a blinding flash and a roar like a thunderbolt, the car shot into the air in a million pieces. Many persons in the vicinity were thrown violently to the ground, including Jack. As he scrambled, thoroughly frightened, to his feet, someone shouted, “Look out overhead!” and glancing up, Jack saw a shower of burning fragments high in the air.
Then rose the cry, “The wind is taking them right over the town!” In alarm many people began leaving the square for their homes.
Jack’s own home and the drug-store block were well on the other side of the town, however, and with no thought of anxiety Jack remained to watch the burning station, now a solid mass of flame from ground to roof.
Presently, glancing toward the opposite corner of the square, Jack noted a general, hurried movement of the crowd there into the street. He set out to investigate. As he neared the fire-engine, still clanking vigorously, a bareheaded man rushed up and asked excitedly for the fire chief. “The telephone building and a house on Essex Street, and one on the next street back, are burning!” he cried. “Quick, and do something, or the whole town will be afire!”