"That is a good scheme," declared Cole. "We've got some old cot beds
we could put here in the barn to sleep on."

"Oh, the hay's good enough in the summer time," replied Bert. "Of
course, we couldn't stay here in the winter, unless we fixed up a
place with a stove. Besides, in winter we have to go to school, and we
haven't so much time to attend to fires."

"That's so, our department is liable to go all to pieces when school
opens," admitted Cole. "That's too bad! And I was just thinking of a
plan to attach my force pump to the engine, so as to give us three
lines of hose."

"Say, haven't you got anything else to talk about except that force
pump?" asked Vincent. "You must have it on the brain."

"Just the same, that's a dandy pump," went on Cole. "I put a new kind
of valve in this morning, and she squirts a hundred feet now. Let me
show you."

"No, let's talk some more about our department," said Vincent. "Do you
think the boys will like this new plan, Bert?"

"I guess so. We'll ask 'em, anyhow. And then there's another thing."

"What is it?"

"I think we ought to have some drills. As it is now some of the boys
don't know what to do. They don't pump good, and they don't pass water