With these and many more cries the Boy Scouts bore down on the building
that sheltered the lone fire department of the town. This consisted of
a cast-off engine in good repair which had been purchased from some big
city, where they were installing an auto in place of horse power for
propelling their machines; and a hose reel, the latter to be drawn by
a line of men.

Of course the assembling firemen were only too glad of the offered aid.
To have a score of husky boys appear so readily on the scene, ready for
business, was in the line of a "snap."

Accordingly, while some of the men got the horses hitched to the engine,
and others started the fire going, the hose cart was rushed out, and its
long rope eagerly seized by the waiting boys.

Paul was at the end of the line, for a scout leader must live up to his
reputation as a general, no matter what the emergency.

"Pull!" went forth the cry, and immediately the hose reel started off in
the direction where a flash of fiery red announced that the excitement
was centred.

Nothing could please such an energetic lot of lads more than a chance to
make themselves useful in this way. They pulled with a will, and passed
along the road leading out of the town, on a wild run.

The one who had declared that it was the old Bradley house that was on
fire must have had the situation well in mind. Perhaps he lived in that
neighborhood, and was better able to judge than the balance of the boys.