“Of course we’ll help! Steer over there!” The burning hay, fanned by a brisk wind, was now sending up a pillar of fire and a cloud of smoke. And the barge was drifting perilously near the boathouse. Many whistles of alarm smote the air, but no boat was as near as the _Gem_. CHAPTER XVII ON ELM ISLAND “Have you a long rope aboard, Miss Nelson?” asked Mr. Stone, when they had drawn near to the burning load of hay. “Yes, you will find it in one of the after lockers,” answered Betty, as she skillfully directed the course of her boat so as to get on the windward side of the barge. “And have you a boathook? I want to fasten it to the rope, and see if I can cast it aboard the barge.” “There is something better than that,” went on the Little Captain. “I have a small anchor—a kedge, I think my Uncle Amos called it.” “Fine, that will be just the thing to cast! Where is it?” “In the same locker with the rope. Uncle insisted that I carry it, though we’ve never used it.” “Well, it will come in mighty handy now,” declared Mr. Kennedy, as he prepared to assist his chum. “You girls had better get in the cabin,” he added, “for there is no telling when the wind may shift, and blow sparks on your dresses. They’re too nice to have holes burned in them,” and he gazed, not without proper admiration, at Betty and her chums. Even in this hour of stress and no little danger he could do that. “We’ll put on our raincoats,” suggested Mollie. “The little sparks from the hay won’t burn them. Or, if they do, we can have a pail of water ready.” “That’s a good idea,” commented Mr. Stone, who was making the kedge anchor fast to the long rope. “Have several pails ready if you can. No telling when the sparks may come aboard too fast for us.” “And we have fire extinguishers, too,” said Betty. “Grace, you know where they are in the cabin. Get them out.” “And I’ll draw the water,” said Mr. Kennedy. “I can help at that,” added Aunt Kate, bravely. “I know where the scrubbing pail is.” She had insisted on making it one of her duties to scrub the deck every day, and for this purpose she kept in readiness a pail to which a rope was attached, that it might be dropped overboard into the lake and hauled up full. This was soon in use. Aunt Kate insisted on having several large pots and pans also filled. “You can’t have too much water at a fire,” she said, practically. The burning hay barge was rapidly being blown down toward the boathouse. At the latter structure quite a throng of club members, and others, had gathered in readiness to act when the time came. In the moonlight they could be seen getting pails and tubs of water in readiness, and one small line of hose, used to water the lawn, was laid. But it would be of small service against such a blaze as now enveloped the barge. Many boats were hastening to the scene, whistling frantically—as though that helped. “Have you got a pump aboard?” some one hailed those on the _Gem_.