"And get away from this building quick, before the side wall falls," commanded the captain. This note of warning served to send all the onlookers scurrying to a safe distance.
Soon the precious aeroplane was safe in the new shed.
"Suppose there's two weeks' repairs on it," lamented Fly.
"Never saw such luck," complained Herb, but added quickly, "We ought to be glad, though, that nobody got hurt."
They turned from their task of lodging the machine, just in time to see the walls and roof of the shop cave in completely. A choking mass of thick smoke rolled out of the debris. The blaze was soon extinguished, but the building was a complete ruin.
"Now, how do you suppose that fire started?" asked Dunk, when, an hour later, and long past midnight, the tired boys started for their homes. All was quiet at the Fort now; everybody had gone to seek their long deferred rest, except Dr. Rivers, who had taken the fire fighters back to Silver City.
Before the rising sun had gilded the mountain tops, Dunk and Fly, tired but too restless to sleep, were again at the feebly smoking ruins.
They were soon joined by Herb Phipps, his father and Tender Gray, who had remained at the Fort overnight.
"Too bad about Carl," reflected Fly.
"He was saving that money so long too," continued Gray.