Eleven o’clock that night found Johnny and Mazie in the place of the central alarm. The Chief was there too and was as much pleased with Johnny’s choice of a pal as he might have been had Mazie been his own daughter.
As for Mazie, she was thrilled to the tips of her fingers by this place of ticking instruments, clanging gongs and leaping light.
“See those red, white and green spots of light up there?” said the Chief. “Well, those are located on the map of the city. They stand for fire stations. Red is for a fire engine, white for a hook and ladder company. If a spot is half red and half white it means that the station houses two companies, one engine and one hook and ladder. Green is for an emergency squad. When a fire alarm is sent in we know that certain companies will go out, say 12, 18 and 30. By moving plugs I darken their lights. We can tell by a glance at the map just how our forces stand.
“Fighting fires,” he smiled, “is just like directing forces in a war. It chances that I am commander-in-chief. I arrange my forces just as a great army commander does. If an alarm comes in, say from the stock yards, four companies, 5, 13, 23 and 40 go out at once. Their absence leaves a dark spot on the map.
“It proves to be a bad fire. The marshal sends in the second alarm. At once companies 7, 41, 63 and 70 go out. A broader spot is darkened. I am beginning to think of reinforcements. The fire spreads. The third alarm. Companies 16, 29, 86 and 94 go out. More darkness on the map. Time for reinforcements, for, should a new fire break out in that area, there would be no one to respond. At once I send out an order for 103, 109, 31 and 42 to move up to the positions previously occupied by 16, 29, 86, and 94.
“Oh, I tell you,” he enthused, “it is a wonderful war; not against one’s fellow, but a war against one of the manifestations of nature. It’s a clean fight, with no one’s blood on your hands when the battle’s won.
“The pity is,” his voice dropped to a low rumble, “that some of our fellow men go over from time to time to join the enemy. It’s a shame and a disgrace. It’s such traitors as these that are keeping Johnny and me awake nights now, as you know all too well,” he said turning to Mazie.
“Wha—what’s that?” exclaimed the girl.
A yellow light had leaped up, over and down, up, over and down. An instrument had begun to chatter.
“It’s the first alarm; close in,” said the Chief. “May be serious; may be only a false alarm.”