East of the yards was the river; but west was that section of the town known as South Beaufort, made up, mostly, of the homes of mill men and railroad men. Fine opportunity did these houses, close together and lightly constructed, offer to the fire!
At the outset little wind had been blowing; but the fire was creating a draft, forming a vortex into which poured the cool air in a regular gale. Enormous cinders whirled high aloft, to stream down everywhere. The whole town was endangered by them.
"Here comes Hal," knocked Bob with his tail against his master's leg.
"Hello, Bob," called Hal, who was making for them through the crowd.
"Oh, Hal, isn't this awful!" greeted Ned.
"I should say so!" replied Hal. "Let's climb up on top of those box-cars, where we can see better."
So they dodged over to some box-cars standing on the tracks which branched northward, along the river, and secured seats from which they had a view unobstructed by irritating heads and hats. Other persons had preceded them, but there was plenty of room, and dangling their feet down the end of a car they proceeded to watch and wait. Bob, after a number of fruitless efforts to scale the side of the car, sat on the ground and watched and waited, too. However, he was interested in the two boys, more than in the fire.
"There's just dray-load after dray-load of goods being hauled out of South Beaufort," said Hal. "I was over a while. The people are scared, I tell you!"
"Let's go and help," suggested Ned, stung by the idea.
"No use," responded Hal. "They can't get wagons enough, for love or money, to take what stuff is scattered round, already."
"Say--if the fire ever gets into South Beaufort, it will cross the tracks, sure, and then--um-m-m!" exclaimed Ned, shaking his head.
"Then the whole town will burn!" faltered Hal, his face paling.
At this instant they perceived among the throng which they had just left a bustle of excitement. Then came to their ears a cheer, and another, and another; then a continuous uproar.
Everybody upon the box-cars stood up to peer and wonder.
"It's the fire department from Sundale! See! Hurrah! Hurrah!" shouted Hal, swinging his hat.
"Hurrah!" chimed in Ned, and all the others.
Sundale was the neighboring village--a rival save in time of need like this--two miles northward. Down the street, nearer and nearer, welcomed by cheer after cheer, came the two carts, their plunging horses, foam-flecked by their long run, exerting their last energy in one final spurt; down, down, "clang! clang! clang!" straight through the living lane and across the tracks. Hurrah!