"Hey! boys, listen to that, will you? Has the fire-engine company
started to join in the celebration?" whooped Phil Parker, who was
along with the rest, though barred from the football squad because of
an injury to his leg, and also positive orders from headquarters at
home to avoid all strenuous sports for some months.

"Not much they haven't, Phil!" cried Joel Jackman, showing signs of
growing excitement. "Nothing make-believe about that alarm, let me
tell you. There's a genuine fire broken out somewhere around town!"

"Just as like as not some of those reckless kids with their bonfires
have gone and done it!" ventured Steve Mullane, indignantly; "and now
the people will begin to say how foolish it was to give up the town to
this wild orgy of celebration, just because the boys of Chester won a
game."

"Listen, will you?" exclaimed still another of the bunch, as they
stood there with strained ears, and at the same time casting
apprehensive glances around, as though each individual fellow had a
haunting dread lest it might turn out to be his own comfortable home
that was threatened with destruction.

"Going to be some fire, let me tell you," snapped Fred Badger, "with
the wind blowing as strong as it does."

"There, look over yonder, boys, just beyond the spire of the
Presbyterian Church! Don't you think it's showing brighter in that
quarter? Yes, sir, the fire lies over that way, as sure as anything!"