brigade.

The foreman proved himself to be the right man in the right place. He
instantly organized a double line of men and boys, leading from the creek
near by, up to the house that was burning.

Every imaginable species of bucket and tin pail was pressed into use. Men
and boys invaded the kitchen and captured all sorts of utensils, from
milkpans to butter firkins.

These were put into use, and passed along as rapidly as those at the
creek end could plunge them in, and fill them with water.

At the other terminus the foreman and his assistants took the water
pails, and dashed the contents here and there as opportunity arose.

The Boy Scouts were nearly all somewhere in the line, and working
valorously. For the time being they utterly forgot they were dressed in
their new suits of khaki, and that the pails slopped over continuously,
soon soaking them to the skin.

Cheered on by the appeals of their leader they never flinched. It was the
first chance Paul had of seeing how his enlisted followers could forget
self, and rise grandly to an occasion.

When any one showed signs of tiring he was quickly crowded out of the
line by another eager willing worker. Indeed, there seemed to be three
applicants for each job; and had there been more buckets several lines
might have been formed to make use of that accommodating creek.