"That's what I want to find some of the boys to talk about, Cole. I'm
thinking of organizing a fire department."

"A fire department! Say, that's great! I'll belong, and I'll let 'em
use my force-pump--no, I can't, either. It's fast to the cistern." "I
guess we'd need something a little larger than that, if we have a
department," replied Bert, "but you can join, and we'll let you fix
the engine pumps when they get out of order."

"Will you, really? Say, that's immense!"

"There's Vincent, now," went on Herbert Dare, as he saw his chum who
had aided him at the barn blaze.

"Yes, and John Boll is with him. Hey, John! Hi, Vincent! Here she
comes!" and Cole threw a ball high in the air towards the other two
boys. John caught and returned it.

"Come on over here," called Cole. "Bert has a great scheme."

The four boys were soon in earnest conversation. Bert told of his plan
for getting as many of the village boys as possible to join a
volunteer fire department to answer all alarms.

"Where are you going to get the engine?" asked John.

"And where's the money coming from?" inquired Vincent.

"That's all got to be thought out," replied Bert. "Maybe Cole can make
us an engine. He makes almost anything."