Drawing nearer town and the sounds began to be appalling. Mr. Jeffords must have been thrilled through and through by what he saw and heard. The flames could now be seen leaping up as though exulting over their complete mastery of the works of man’s hands. Rob was wondering and hoping and even praying in connection with their having drawn perilously close to that connecting link. Would they arrive in time, or had the fatal leap across already taken place?
With other sounds they could hear the roar of many voices. Doubtless, citizens had joined with the firemen in order to fight the flames, knowing that their fair town would be in complete ruins before morning if they did not manage in some fashion to get the mastery over the raging fire. Then, again, women and children must be shrieking, dogs barking, horses neighing, and every imaginable sound mingling to make that furious chorus.
It was hard now for Ralph to get along, because of the congestion. Thus, in spite of the warning Klaxon, they were detained several precious seconds while waiting for some wretched vehicle to get out of the way. Besides this there were children to be avoided, and all sorts of vexatious delays.
In spite of all, however, Rob felt sure they had come back in record time. Unless his calculations were all awry, he believed they would not be too late to try out his suddenly conceived scheme to save Wyoming.
At one spot, as they were held up for a brief space of time, judge of Rob’s surprise when Sim clambered into the car.
“Careful how you step on that dynamite!” warned Rob, at the same time hoping that Tubby and Andy might not also show up, and cause a threat of trouble.
It seemed, however, that Sim had been the only one able to break away from the entrancing scene of destruction and excitement. He had suddenly realized that the car would of necessity be compelled to come back the same way it went, and accordingly Sim had waylaid it on the border of the town.
When it was really unsafe to go any further, Ralph brought the car to a stop.
“We’d better get out here,” he said, huskily, for somehow he seemed to still be out of breath from his exertions out at the farm.
“First thing,” said Ralph, “I must find Mr. Megrue, the Fire Chief. He’d be the only one to authorize the use of this stuff. Rob, you and Sim carry it with you over near the old factory building. I’ll look for you there.”