CHAPTER XIII

THE QUEER TRAMP

“What good will that do?” cried the chief. “Haven’t I got troubles enough without you bothering me? This whole place is going up in smoke!”

“No it won’t if you do as I say,” insisted Jerry. “Have your men run that hose down to our boat!”

“Have you got a force pump there?” demanded the chief halting in his intention of shouting some new order through his trumpet.

“That’s what we have, and a powerful one too,” cried Jerry.

“Good!” exclaimed the chief. “Here boys! Run the line down to the motor boat!”

Wondering whether their chief had taken leave of his senses the men obeyed. A curious crowd gathered to see what was going on. Some even deserted the bucket brigade lines.

“Don’t leave my house to burn up!” cried the distracted owner.

“Do you think you can attach the hose to the engine?” asked Bob, as he ran along beside Jerry.

“Not to the engine but to the pump; the auxiliary pump,” said Jerry. “I guess you forgot we have a regular force pump which is worked by the engine. Not the one that pumps up water to cool the cylinders, but the one in the stern that is intended for a hose to be attached to. It’s for use in case the boat gets afire, or to wash it off when it’s dirty. It’s a fine pump, double acting, but we never had occasion to use it, and we haven’t any hose for it. I measured the fire hose, and it will just fit on the pump nozzle.”

By this time the men dragging the hose were at the _Dartaway_. They stared in wonder at the trim craft, for it was the first time many of them had ever seen a motor boat.

“Fasten the line on there!” cried Jerry showing the men where the pump was. “I’ll start the engine!”

He threw out the gear, and started the motor, which, running free, soon attained a terrific speed. Then Jerry threw in the clutch connecting with the pump. In an instant the machine began to suck up water from the river.

A few seconds later there came a shout from the other end of the hose, where some men were holding it ready to play a stream on the roof, which was now blazing furiously.

“By Hook! You’ve done the trick!” exclaimed the chief. “I didn’t think your little machine would force water so far.”

The chief ran back to direct his men, while quite a crowd stayed to watch the motor boys in their unexpected role of firemen.

In a few minutes the firemen had the blaze under control. It had just begun to eat through the shingles, but, so well did the volunteers play the water on, and, thanks to the _Dartaway’s_ pump, so much was there of the fluid, that the fire soon got discouraged and, save for a few little tongues of flame, it was out five minutes later.

The house was saved, but the barn was a total loss. Seeing that there was no further need of a stream on the roof, the chief directed the men to play on the burning embers of the stable, which had collapsed into a huge bon-fire.

“Well, I reckon I can call off my men now,” said the chief some time later, when there was only a little smoke to show where the barn had stood. “I guess the danger’s over. One of you men take a look upon the house roof to see there are no sparks left.”

A volunteer fireman scrambled up and reported that the roof-fire was out completely.

“Then we’ll pull up and go home,” went on the chief. “I’m sure we’re much obliged to you boys. I don’t know what we’d ’a done only for you.”

“That’s all right,” spoke Jerry. “Glad we happened along in time to be of service.”

The hose was uncoupled from the boat pump, and coiled on the reel, while the hand engine was dragged out into the road in preparation for being taken back to quarters.

The motor boys prepared to continue on their trip. Just as Jerry was adjusting the engine in readiness to start off, a man came running down the bank to the river.

“Hi; you boys!” he called.

“Well, what is it; more fire?” asked Ned.

“No, but Mr. Dudley wants to know if you won’t come up and stay to supper. He wants to thank you, and he’s asked the other fire department also.”

“The other fire department, eh?” remarked Jerry in a low voice. “They must count us as one. Shall we go up, boys?”

“If you leave it to me I say yes every time,” put in Bob.

“Oh we knew that,” said Jerry. “What do you say, Ned?”

“Oh I could toy with a bit of food if it isn’t too heavy,” said Ned with a smile.

“Tell Mr. Dudley we’re much obliged to him, and we’ll be right up,” said Jerry, and the man, who seemed to be a helper about the place, ran back to the house.

Mrs. Dudley and several of the servants had set a table in the big dining room. The members of the volunteer fire department were standing awkwardly around discussing the events of the last few hours, and Mr. Dudley was going about from one to the other thanking them for what they had done.

“Here comes the real heroes of the day!” cried the fire chief as the boys entered. “They are the ones who jumped right into the breach and pulled us out of the hole.”

“That’s so!” cried Mr. Dudley, hurrying over and shaking hands with the boys. “I don’t know your names yet,” he went on, “but I’m a thousand times obliged to you.”

Jerry introduced himself and his comrades, and soon every one was at his ease, the volunteers firing question after question at Bob, Ned and Jerry as to how their “machine” worked.

“Now, never mind the fire, but sit down and eat,” cried Mr. Dudley. “I’m sure you’re hungry and that you all deserve better than we have here. You must make allowances for the meal. It was gotten ready in a hurry, and we’re a little upset.”

“I should think you would be,” said the chief. “Good land, we ain’t had as much excitement as this, no sir, not in ten years.”

The meal was a good one in spite of the adverse circumstances under which it was prepared, and the boys and every one else ate heartily.

During a lull in the serving of the victuals, the chief arose at his place.

“Members of the Towanda Fire Department,” he said, “I have a motion to make. I know this ain’t a regular meeting, but I ask for a suspension of the rules.”

“Hurrah! You’re all right! Go ahead chief! Make a dozen motions if you want to!” were some of the cries that greeted the head of the volunteers.

“Then I move you that we elect these three boys, who helped us so well to-day, honorary members of our department!” exclaimed the chief.

“Second the motion!” cried every member of the volunteers.

“I guess there’s no use to take a vote on that proposition,” the chief went on. “You’re elected unanimously!”

“Thank you, very much,” said Jerry, speaking for himself and his chums.

There was a cheer for the boys, and congratulations on every side. Mrs. Dudley came up, shook hands with the boys, and with tears in her eyes thanked them for their aid in saving her home.

“I don’t know what I would have done if it had burned down,” she said. “I’ve lived here so long I don’t believe I ever could live in a new place. I must write and tell you boys’ mothers what you did for me.”

As soon as they could, the boys made an excuse for leaving. Shaking hands with their host and hostess, they went down to the motor boat, followed by about half the members of the fire department. Amid cheers from the men the boys started off.

“I guess we’d better cut out the trip to the park,” said Jerry. “How about going straight home?”

“Suits me,” came from Ned and Bob.

Accordingly, after the side lamps and the search lantern had been lighted, the _Dartaway_ was swung down the river.

Suddenly from the gloom in front of them, there sounded a loud crash. Then a bumping noise, followed by confused shouts.

“Trouble of some kind!” exclaimed Jerry. He swung the search lamp in the direction from which the noise had come. In the white blinding glare of the gas lamp the boys saw the outlines of a schooner, partially hidden behind some big black object.

“That’s the _Bluebird_!” exclaimed Ned.

“And something has run into her!” cried Jerry. “I wonder what it is. Put us over that way, Ned.”

Ned shifted the wheel. As the _Dartaway_ came nearer, and the black object was illuminated more by the search lamp, the boys could see that it was a barge loaded with hay which had drifted upon the schooner.

“Help! Help! Save me! The schooner is sinking!” cried a voice from the darkness.

“You’d better jump!” another voice answered. “I can’t pull the barge back!”

The boys were now near enough to see what was happening. The barge was broadside on to the current. It was so big that the force of the river was bearing it hard against the side of the schooner, which was careening badly.

“Is there anyone on the barge?” called Jerry.

“Yes!” came back the answer. “Can you throw me a line and pull me back? I don’t want to sink the vessel!”

“Stand by to catch!” cried Jerry.

He stood up in the bow and cast a line to a dark figure that ran out to the end of the barge, nearest the motor boat. The man skillfully caught the line, and fastened it to a cleat.

Then, under Jerry’s direction, Ned swung the _Dartaway_ about in a big circle, taking care not to foul the tow line. The rope was fastened to the stern of the motor boat, and, when the latter was pointed up stream it tautened suddenly.

Ned put the engine at full speed, and slowly, very slowly, for the weight was considerable, the hay barge was pulled away from the schooner. The latter, relieved of the pressure, began to right.

“That’s the stuff!” cried the man on the barge. He was in the full glare of the search lamp, which Jerry had reversed to play on the barge, and the boys saw that he was a tramp. His clothes hung in rags about him, and his face looked as if it had not felt a razor in months.

“Pull her up the river a way and tie her to the bank, if you will,” the tramp said, stepping out of the glare of the light suddenly. “She drifted down stream with me,” he went on.

“Who does it belong to?” asked Jerry.

There was no answer. Then, all at once, there came a splash in the water.

“Some one has fallen overboard!” cried Bob.

Jerry flashed the light down on the surface of the river. In the white glare the tramp could be seen striking out for shore. He was swimming well, and seemed in no need of assistance so Jerry did not stop the towing of the barge to put over to him.

“Well of all the queer tramps he’s the limit,” said Bob. “He don’t seem to mind getting a bath. Wonder how he came to fall in.”

“He didn’t fall in, he jumped,” said Jerry. “There’s something queer behind this.”