"Fire! Fire!" shouted many voices, taking up the cry of the constable.
This brought out nearly all the members of the bucket brigade. The blaze was now brighter.
"Where we going to get our water?" asked John Boll of Bert, as he raced alongside of his chum, both dragging on the rope.
"In the brook. It runs right past Kimball's place, and we can form a line of buckets right down to it and up to the engine."
Mr. Kimball's place was on a side street. He had a house and a small barn. The latter building was not large enough to store his hay in, so he kept the stuff in a stack outside.
"Come on! Come on!" Constable Stickler could be heard yelling. "The barn'll catch pretty soon."
"We're coming!" replied Bert.
"For th' love of tripe! What's that?" cried the constable, as he caught sight of the engine.
"The Lakeville Fire Department!" responded several boys.
"Humph!" exclaimed the constable. "Don't you boys go to interferin' with the bucket brigade. I won't have it. The bucket brigade is the regular department for this town."