"Let's ring the dinner-bell, Bill; that will call people's attention, and then we must do the best we can."
They ran along until they reached the front gate, and then, seizing the bell-rope, rang it violently.
In a minute or two there was a clatter of feet outside, and shouts of "What's the matter?"
"There is a fire in the molding-room," George shouted; "run for the engines, someone, and break the gate open. Now come on, Bill."
The two boys ran towards that part of the building where the flames had been seen, broke a window, and climbed in. There was an almost stifling smell of burning wood and at a door at the end of the planing-room they could see a light flame flickering through the cracks of the door leading into the molding-room, which was next to it.
"Quick, Bill, screw that leather pipe onto the hydrant. We must stop it from getting through here till the engines come."
The hydrant communicated with the great tank at the top of the building, and as soon as the hose was screwed on and Bill stood with the nozzle directed towards the burning door, George turned the cock and volumes of water flew out.
The first result seemed disastrous. The door was already nearly burned through, and, as the powerful jet flew against it, it seemed to crumble away and a mass of flame darted out from the molding-room. The joists and timbers supporting the floor above the planing-room would have caught at once, but the boys deluged them with water, as also the framework of the door, and then, throwing the stream of water into the blazing workshop, they kept down the flames near the door. The smoke was stifling.
"We shall be choked, George!" Bill gasped.
"Lie down, Bill. I have heard the air is always better near the ground."