Part 24 (1/2)

CHAPTER XXIV-RIVALS NO LONGER.

The greatest excitement reigned aboard the houseboat, when it was realized that while they were talking about their former experience, here a fire had broken out on board some other boat just below them.

”Shall we go and help put it out, Frank?” asked Bluff, who seemed quite anxious to have an affirmative reply. ”Looks like we're just bound to be called on for any little old job along this river. Fire fighters, get busy!”

”We can't all go,” said Frank, remembering their former experience; ”and as Jerry was complaining of having hurt his foot on that nail a little while ago, why, he will have to stay, and watch the boat. The rest come with me!”

No one thought to question Frank's authority, because he had long ago been elected as the chief of the club: and his word was law; though, as a rule, he tried to make his comrades feel that they had as much voice in settling ordinary matters as he did.

Bluff and Will jumped ash.o.r.e after their leader. Jerry grumbled a whole lot, not at Frank's decision, but the unfortunate freak of Fate that made him suffer from stepping on a nail in his bare feet, just when he wanted to have an equal chance with his chums about going to the help of those in danger of being burnt out.

Frank and his two companions ran as fast as they could. The bank happened to be fairly open, so they quickly reached the point of land that jutted out. Below here there seemed to be some sort of beach, and over this they could make quick time.

Before now they had discovered that, sure enough, a boat was afire, and Bluff called out that it seemed to be some sort of shantyboat, too.

Perhaps they imagined they were about to render a.s.sistance again to some poor family, such as the one that had been rescued from the floating treetop, at the time of the adventure with the savage panther.

”I don't hear any children hollering, though,” panted Bluff, as he kept close to Frank's heels.

”That's so,” spoke up Will; ”but there's a heap of yelling going on all the same. Listen to 'em; will you, boys.”

And just then a single voice, filled with excitement, came easily to their ears:

”It's gaining on us, Ossie, I tell you! There isn't enough of a crowd to keep the flames back. Didn't I say that gasolene stove'd do us some day?

and it has. The whole thing's going under!”

”Ossie!” said Will, as they somehow came to a sudden stop.

”Shucks! it's only _that_ crowd, after all,” remarked Bluff; ”let their boat go up in fire and smoke, for all it matters to us, fellows.”

”Well,” said Frank, who knew the speaker better than Bluff did himself; ”you can both go back, if you feel that way; but these fellows are in a bad fix; and even if they don't thank me for lending a hand, I've just _got_ to try and help put that fire out, if I want to look at myself in a gla.s.s without blus.h.i.+ng.”

With that he rushed off again. And hearing the patter of two pair of willing feet close behind him, Frank had to chuckle. Of course neither Will nor Bluff could be left out when there was anything exciting going on.

Two minutes later, and they were on the scene. They found a pretty serious situation, with the flames pouring out from one end of the houseboat, that must have cost the millionaire father of Oswald Fredericks some thousands of dollars to outfit.

And the boys, while they seemed to be working desperately in the endeavor to extinguish the fire, did not go about it in the proper way, so that their efforts were about as good as wasted.

Frank took in the situation at a glance. He knew that the wind just then was coming from down the river; and as it was the upper end of the _Lounger_ that was afire there was some chance to gain the mastery of the hungry flames.

Seeing a couple of buckets where one of the others had dropped them upon finding the fire getting too hot for him, Frank stooped over them.

Rapidly he gave his chums directions how to keep these in constant play.

They were to do the dipping into the river, handing the filled buckets up to him; when he would dash the water on the fire in a certain spot, until he had overwhelmed its hold there; and be in a condition to move on a little further.

They worked like beavers. Indeed, once aroused to the work, and determined to win out, Bluff could not have done better service had it been the _Pot Luck_ that was in danger of being wiped out.