"I'll take a look around and see if it's breaking out anywhere else," said Herbert. "One stream is almost enough there."
He turned aside, and started to run down another hall, that was at right angles to the one where the fire was. Suddenly a man confronted him, and, even in the excitement, Bert knew him for the individual who had been in the motor boat that nearly ran the boys down.
"Where are you going?" the man asked.
"To look and see if there is a blaze anywhere else," replied Bert.
"Who are you?" inquired the man, who appeared very much excited, more so than the occasion called for, since, as yet, the fire was not beyond control.
"I'm captain of the Boys' Volunteer Fire Department," replied Bert.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Mr. Muchmore. I'm in possession of this house, and you can't pass here!"
"But I only want to see if there's another place on fire. We have two lines of hose, and one is enough back there."
"I don't care! You can't pass here!"
Bert wondered at the man's mysterious action, but the boy had no right to dispute the peremptory orders.