CHAPTER XIII

"FIRE!"


"Man the bellows, somebody."

"Yes, stir up the fire in that forge, William. It's the coldest September
night on record, and that's a fact!" exclaimed Bobolink, as he pushed
the lively member of the Carberry team toward the smouldering fire left
by the blacksmith when he gave over his capacious smithy to the Boy
Scouts for their meeting.

"M-m-my dad s-s-says he once lost his t-t-t-tobacco c-crop in
S-s-september!" observed Bluff, shaking his head as he pushed toward
the fire.

The boys had had a fine meeting.

Besides the twenty-two in their new uniforms, four new recruits had been
present, to drink in with eager ears all that passed, and sigh for the
day to come when they too might shine forth in such resplendant suits.

Already was there much rivalry shown in the many competitions which the
young scout leaders had instituted. There was a class on aviation,
another that had taken up the mysteries of camping with all its
fascinating details; a third chose photography as the most entrancing
subject, and exhibited many pictures that were to be entered in the great
contest of the county for the banner.