“Regular bacon,” remarked Jack with a grin. He looked like a minstrel because of the grime.
“Oh, wasn’t it a narrow escape!” gasped Belle. “Could the lightning have struck?”
“It didn’t seem so,” remarked Cora, not now so nervous. But she was still puzzled over the presence of that strange woman in the garage at the time of the fire.
“It was gasoline–whatever else it was,” declared Jack. “I can tell that by the smell. Maybe some of that we used in an open pan to clean my machine exploded,” he went on to his chums.
“Could it go off by spontaneous combustion?” asked Ed. “It’s possible,” admitted Walter. “Unless some one was smoking in here–some tramp.”
“Oh, no!” protested Cora quickly. The woman did not seem a tramp–certainly she did not smoke.
“We must get the cars back in here,” said Jack. “The rain is slackening now.” This was so, for the shower, though severe, had not been of long duration. “We want them in shape for to-morrow,” he went on.
“Are we going after all this?” asked Belle.
“Certainly!” exclaimed Cora. “This fire didn’t amount to much.”
“I’m much obliged to you,” spoke Jack to the passing workmen who had come in to help. Jack passed them some money.