As he strolled down the village street, on the lookout for some of his
chums to whom he might broach the subject, he espied Cole Bishop.

"Hello, Bert!" called Cole. "How's your burn?"

"It's getting better. What you going to do?"

"Nothing special. What are you?"

"Same thing, I guess. I was looking for some of the boys."

"What for? Going swimming or fishing?"

It was the vacation season, school having closed about a week
previously.

"Well, I wasn't exactly going swimming, but I want to talk about
water."

"About water? Say, you ought to see my force-pump. I put some new
washers in it, and it'll squirt fifty feet now. Come on over. I wish
our house would catch fire."

"You do? What for?"

"Well, I'd show you how to put it out. I've got my pump on the
cistern, and some hose ready to attach. It's got the bucket brigade
beaten a mile."