it."

"I wish I had one."

"Oh, I guess they'll have plenty at the barn."

"They'll need 'em, for it looks as if it was pretty well on fire."

The reflection of the blaze was now so bright that objects in the
street could be plainly seen, and faces easily distinguished at a
considerable distance.

"There's Cole Bishop!" said Bert to his chum, pointing to another lad,
who was running along, evidently much out of breath, as he was quite
fat.

"Hello, Cole!" called Bert.

"Hello--Bert! Goin'--to--the--fire?" came from Cole, with a puff
between each word.

"Naw, we're goin' to a Sunday school picnic," replied Vincent, who was
something of a joker.

"Humph! Funny--ain't--you!" remarked Cole.

The boys continued to speed on toward the burning barn, which was one
of the buildings belonging to Anderson Stimson, a farmer, and located
just on the edge of the village. The crowd had increased, and several
score of people were on their way to the conflagration.