[“HE’S COMING ’ROUND ALL RIGHT”]
“[He’s coming ’round all right],” he reported. “We’ll bring out some blankets——”
Sam and Step rushed into the camp, and emerged with their arms filled with heavy coverings. Tom made use of two, while the others were distributed among the boys. Luckily they had turned in “all standing” and were fully clothed except for their shoes, which Step recovered by a second trip into the building.
“Lon’s safe—saw him in there,” said he. “When he heard we were all right he stayed to help fight the fire. Gee, but the kitchen’s a furnace!”
“I know—I saw it, and I don’t understand it,” Orkney declared. “There was some grease about, of course—can’t help that with all the frying. Still, the way the blaze ran——”
There he checked himself. “You mean you suspect——?” queried Step.
“I mean it spread mighty fast,” said Orkney drily.
“Think it caught from the stove, don’t you?”
“Huh! Cook’s a very careful man.”
A bucket brigade was forming to bring water from a hole chopped in the ice of the stream, and the boys volunteered their services. Somebody had found a ladder, and now the fire was being attacked from the roof as well as below. Mr. Kane had plenty of men, and employed them skilfully, though, of course, his equipment was limited. The roof of the ell fell in, and for a few minutes flames shot through the opening thus left, but their inroads upon the main camp were quickly checked, the heavy logs of the walls, the snow, and the lack of wind all contributing to the result. In half an hour the fire was under control, and in another Mr. Kane officially declared it out.