“The schoolhouse is on fire!” cried Sammy.
“Sure enough,” added Frank.
They were now in full sight of the school building. From one end a great volume of smoke was pouring out of the windows. Then, just as they bounded over the fence, one of a dozen men already come upon the scene, ran at a door and kicked it in.
At once the flames came out in a sheet. Some one shouted for buckets. Bob knew where there was one under the school building, in use when people drove to the school and wanted to water their horses. He got it out quickly and ran to the pump.
“Help me, Frank,” he called.
Frank and Sammy took turns in pumping. Bob ran with the pail to a man at the broken-in door. The man threw the water inside and Bob went back after more water. Then two men arrived with buckets from the nearest house, and soon half a dozen pails were in use.
Men took the place of the boys and crowded them out of service, but they had done their part.
“What’s that, now?” spoke Bob, as, rounding the building, they came to the little addition to the main school building, used as a storeroom.
“Why,” shouted Sammy, “there’s some one inside!”
“It looks so,” spoke Frank, in wonder.