He had dropped his club at the very instant of the accident, and seeing what Paul and Jack were doing, had hurried over also to possess himself of a blanket. Instead of whipping this at the creeping flames which the others promised to take good care of, William turned his attention to the excited Scissors, who was losing in his fight against the hungry fire that had seized upon his oil-soaked garments.
And right then and there did the lessons taught to these scouts come home to William. Not for
nothing had he learned what to do in case of a sudden emergency, whether by water or fire.
Over the head of Scissors he threw that blanket, and then seized the other in a bear-like hug.
"Keep still!" William was calling, as he hung on grimly; "quit your kicking, you silly! It's all right, and no great damage done!"
But as Scissors, being blinded by the blanket, could not see that Paul and his chum had beaten the fire out, and in imagination he felt it still eating into his tender skin, he continued to struggle and try to shout, although his voice sounded very faint in the compress.
Paul found another lamp as soon as darkness had fallen on the gymnasium, and with trembling hands managed to light it. Then the four friends looked at each other, and tried to smile; but it was a poor job. Their faces were as white as parchment, and yet each one at that moment was probably uttering sincere thanks deep down in his heart that the accident had been no worse.
William had removed the blanket from around Scissors by this time, and the prisoner was sitting down on the floor, examining several sore spots on his hands and legs, where the fire had touched the cuticle.
"Say, did you ever see such a hot time?" gasped Bobolink, presently, as he recovered his lost breath in part; for he had been kicking at
the fire just as vigorously as the others slapped at it with the blanket or tent.