"Well, things are happening in a bunch," thought Bert, as he made his way toward the village. "First I get a queer message I can't make head or tail of, and then Mort warns me away from the house. I wonder what he wants to tell me to-night? It must have something to do with the Stockton place."
Bert almost wished that a fire alarm might come in, so that the time would pass more quickly. But the day dragged along, and there was no occasion for taking out either of the engines.
After supper, as was his custom, the young chief visited the two fire-houses, to see that both apparatuses were in readiness for a run in the night. The tanks were kept filled, and the lanterns were lighted as soon as it grew dark.
Bert first went to the town hall, where, in the basement, he found
Vincent and several members of "Corps No. 2," as it was known.
"Well, boys, all ready for a blaze?" asked Bert. "How's the machine,
Vincent?"
"All right, I guess. We thought we were going to have a run, a while ago."
"How's that?"
"Pile of shavings near Sagger's new butcher shop caught fire, and made a lot of smoke. He came running in here, and wanted us to take the engine out, but I saw it didn't amount to anything, and I didn't want to waste a lot of chemicals on a blaze like that."
"What did you do?"
"We put it out with a few pails of water. He could have done the same, only he was too excited."