patrol leader) to hold a rag over the crack in the door, because the
black smoke was pouring out that way, especially because the damper in
the pipe was shut.

I didn't stay there long, because the smoke was too thick for me and
when I saw Artie bind a wet rag over Wig's eyes and mouth, I knew then it
was going to be mighty bad in that little cabin.

"Have another ready," I heard him say; "better have three or four of
them."

Then he put his hand on the damper in the pipe and turned it and then
the smoke in the cabin wasn't so bad. He just turned it around quick and
kept turning it around and that let little puffs of smoke through, and I
heard the fellows up on the roof shouting, "Hurrah!" so I knew it was
working all right. He sent up a lot of little puffs like that, just so
as to draw attention, and he; kept doing it so long I got impatient.

"No use talking till you know somebody's listening," he said, kind of
pleasant like to me. I guess maybe he never liked me very much, because
I didn't want that badge to get into their patrol and anyway he's kind
of sober, sort of, and maybe he thought I had too much nonsense. But, oh,
boy, I was strong for him now...and I could see how he began to cough
and I was worried.

Then he groped around to get hold of the damper, for he was blindfolded
and the smoke in there was getting thicker and thicker. Then he gave it
a quick turn, then waited a few seconds, then held it lengthwise with
the pipe for about twenty seconds.