“But we’ll tell who did it!” “What good will that do, when they find us here. Besides those fellows will give the alarm, and that will throw suspicion off them.” “But look how we’re tied.” “I know it, but they’ll say we did it ourselves. Oh, I wish we hadn’t followed those Smith boys!” “So do I!” Swiftly running down the road, the boys in question, and their chums, set up a loud cry: “Fire! Fire! Fire!” They were on the outskirts of the town now, and the yell was soon taken up by many voices. “Fire! Fire! Fire!” “Where is it?” demanded several. “The barn on my father’s place,” answered Bateye Jones pantingly. Some one rang the alarm bell on the tower of the hose house. The few firemen on duty began to rush about, and hitched up the horses. Other volunteers from nearby houses hastened to the hose house. A red glare could be seen reflected on the sky. The fire department at last had a chance for a run, and the members rejoiced in it, for there had been many days of inactivity. It mattered not that the barn was a worthless structure, better burned than left standing. It was a chance to get out the new apparatus, and must not be missed. The hose wagon and chemical engine combined rattled out of the house. Men shouted various unimportant directions. The horses were scarcely awake. “There they go!” exulted Bateye as he and the others prepared to race back to the scene they had so recently left. “S’pose they find out we did it?” asked Pete. “It doesn’t matter,” said Bateye. “I got leave from dad to burn the barn, only he didn’t know I was going to do it to-night. He wants to put up a silo for cattle fodder on the place, so the barn had to come down, anyhow, and burning was the easiest way. But I thought we might as well have some fun out of it while we’re at it.” “Sure!” agreed Cap Smith. And then the boys, and scores of others, ran on, while voices multiplied the cry of: “Fire! Fire! Fire!” CHAPTER III A LEAKY BOAT The old barn made a good blaze. Beantoe and Spider, tied with their hands behind them to the fence, could not help but admit that. “Say, it’s a peach of a fire all right!” exclaimed the long-legged lad, as he vainly struggled to free himself. “It sure is! I wonder if they’ll arrest us?” “Of course not. If they did I guess Bateye and the others would be square enough to own up to it.” “I guess so, but maybe the firemen will be mad when they find out about it.” “Get out! They’ll only be too glad of a chance to use the new hose. Besides Cooney Humpville hasn’t used his new trumpet yet. Say, it’s getting warm all right!” “Yes, but it won’t be any hotter. It’s at the worst of the blaze now. Why don’t the firemen come?” “Here they are!” cried Spider. From down the highway came a confused sound—shouts and yells mingled with the galloping of horses and the rumble of the hose wagon. Up dashed the Freeport fire department, glorious in red shirts and red helmets, with the red hose wagon in their midst.