“The whistle will be the signal, then?” “Yes. I've told MacGregor to blow until he hears the bark of every dog in town. I want to get this all fixed in the morning, and so fixed that there can't be any misunderstandings. Any time after to-morrow noon, if that whistle blows, it means get to the yards in two minutes or lose your job. You'd better tell them that.” “All right; I'll see to it. But gee whiz!” Crosman leaned back and looked at Halloran. “Here we're talking about this just as if it was going to happen.” “Well, maybe it is. Anyhow, that's how we've got to look at it. I'd talk to the boys that way, too.” He rose and sat on the corner of the table, looking down earnestly at the other. “They've got to understand that we mean business. And say, look here, Crosman; what are we sitting here talking about this for? Why aren't we doing it to-night?” Crosman's expression dropped from serious to dismal. “Why--why--all right.” “Sorry if I'm butting into any plans of yours, but good Lord, old man, have you stopped to think what this means? Here I'd got my mind settled on to-morrow when I ought to have known all the while that to-day was the time. We'll do it now. You look up the boys on that paper and I'll root mine out and have them bring the hose over. We'll get everything in shape before we go to bed.” The assistant was caught up and whirled along by Halloran's energy. “All right,” he repeated. “But I ought to call Mamie up. She's--she's--I was thinking of going around there.” “Use my telephone. Excuse me if I start right out, won't you?” Before Crosman could stammer a “Certainly,” he had snatched up his hat and disappeared. Disagreeable as rush orders might be to a man with his family about him of an evening, there was nothing to be said; and within an hour some were starting out for duty on watch, or for a night on one of the steamers, while others dragged the hose-reel out of the town and across the bridge to the yards and put it in order for instant use. When the preparations were completed, toward eleven o'clock, Halloran called the men together and gave them their final instructions. Crosman and he were left alone for a moment when the last man had gone to his post. “Well--that's a good job done,” observed the assistant. “I guess there's nothing more, is there?”