lads.

“Hurrah!” yelled Bob, forgetting that he was in the house.

“Lucky I thought to go and get him,” spoke Jerry to Ned.

“I might add,” went on Mr. Wakefield, “that I am going to make a trip as far as Chicago. If you decide to let the boys go, they could accompany me that far, at least. It would be a good experience for them.”

“Oh, dad! Please let us go!” pleaded Bob.

“Yes, yes!” chimed in Jerry and Ned.

There was a moment of silence, while the parents were gravely considering the matter. During it the boys could almost hear the beating of their own hearts.

“Well,” began Mr. Baker, “I’m willing, if the rest of you are.”

“I suppose I may as well say yes,” spoke Mr. Slade.

“Then the only thing left for me to do is to agree with the majority,” said Mrs. Hopkins, with a laugh.

“Westward ho!” fairly shouted Bob, and he began to do an impromptu jig until his father stopped him.

“We’ll take Andy Rush along,” said Ned, “and we’ll start the first of the week!”

“Hark! What was that?” asked Mr. Baker, suddenly.

Out on the night air sounded an alarm.

“Fire! Fire! Fire!”

CHAPTER III.
THE OLD MILL ON FIRE.

They all rushed to windows and looked out into the night. Off to the north a dull red glare lighted the sky.

“What is it?” asked Mr. Baker.

“I can’t see from here,” replied Jerry.

“Come on, fellows! Let’s go!” exclaimed Ned. He started for the door.

“Take the auto,” suggested Bob. “No telling how far off it is.”

The next instant the three boys were in the automobile shed, getting the machine ready for a start. The red glow in the sky increased. People began running past on their way to the fire.

There was a clatter and bang, a ringing of bells, and the one engine the town possessed, in all the glory of its brass and nickel plate, rushed past, as fast as the horses could drag it. The hose-cart followed.

“Hurry up or we’ll miss the fun!” cried Ned to Bob, who was cranking the auto. Somehow, Chunky could not get the engine started. At last he succeeded and the boys climbed to their seats.

“It’s my turn to steer!” cried Jerry, and no one disputed him. He ran the car out of the side path, past the Baker home. On the stoop stood Mr. Slade, Mrs. Hopkins and Mr. Baker, watching the fire.

“Want to come along?” asked Ned.

“Let’s go,” exclaimed Mr. Slade, and he and Mr. Baker got their hats and were soon in the rear seat with Ned. Mrs. Hopkins, with a laugh, declined the trip. Jerry speeded the car ahead and soon was chugging on toward the fire, which was some distance outside of town.

On the road the automobilists passed scores of men and boys who were running at top speed. In their excitement many were yelling at the top of their voices.

“Where is it?” asked Bob of a group of boys.

“The old windmill!” was the answer.

“The place where we found the box Noddy Nixon stole from Mr. Judson!” cried Jerry, turning to his companions. “Queer, isn’t it?”

“Maybe he got his toady, Jack Pender, to set the place afire so nothing would ever come out about it,” suggested Bob.

“Hardly,” ventured Jerry. “But what’s the trouble up ahead?”

In advance could be seen quite a crowd of people in a group about some object. Just then came a long-drawn-out whistle of a steam engine.

“The fire apparatus is stuck!” cried Ned. “The horses can’t pull it!”

“I always thought that machine was too heavy for two horses,” said Mr. Slade.

The auto soon came up to the scene of the trouble. The fire-engine had sunk deep down in a rut of the road and, pull as they did, the horses could not budge it.

“Lay hold of the wheels, boys!” called the driver of the apparatus. “Everybody give a hand!”

Willingly enough the crowd tried to aid. But the roads were soft and the engine was heavy. It seemed bound to stick fast.

“Hold on!” cried Jerry. “Let us through, will you? I have an idea!”

The crowd parted, the attention of the men and boys being attracted from the stranded engine.

“What are you going to do?” asked Mr. Baker.

“Give ’em a lift,” replied Jerry. “I say, have you a rope?” the boy called to the driver of the steamer.

“Yes!” was the reply. “But we need more than a rope to get out of here.”

“No, you don’t! I’ll show you!” shouted Jerry. He had brought the machine to a halt by throwing out the gear, but did not stop the gasolene engine. He quickly fastened the rope to the rear axle of the auto.

“Now tie the other end to the engine and we’ll pull you to the fire,” the boy said.

The driver saw the feasibility of the scheme at once. He unhitched the straining horses, attached the cable to the pole and gave the word. Jerry threw on the clutch, there was a tightening of the rope and slowly but surely the engine was dragged from the mud hole. Then, once on solid ground, Jerry put on more speed, and, amid the cheers of the crowd, he started off at a swift pace, dragging the engine to the fire.

The hose-cart had gone on ahead and was waiting for the steamer. Power was soon up in the apparatus, and soon two streams were directed toward the mill, which was now a mass of flames.

There was no chance of saving it, such a start had the fire gained, and, in fact, the loss would be small if it burned down, but the fire company could not let slip a chance of going to the blaze. So the crew continued to squirt water, though most of it did little good. However, there was plenty of excitement, which suited the boys.

Those in the auto watched the old mill gradually being consumed. To the boys it brought a recollection of the time they had there made the final discovery of Noddy Nixon’s villainy, and had practically forced him to admit his guilt. At last the roof fell in, with a big shower of sparks, and the fire was practically out, though the steamer continued to pump water.

“Let’s go home,” suggested Mr. Baker. “We’ve seen enough.”

“Oh, stay a while longer!” pleaded his son. “It’s a fine moonlight night and it will be fun going home later.”

“You boys can stay if you like,” said the banker, “but home’s the place for me, eh, Mr. Slade?”

The merchant agreed. So Jerry turned the auto toward Cresville and made a quick run, leaving Mr. Baker and Mr. Slade at their respective homes, and then he and the boys came back in the machine to the fire. They found most of the crowd gone, and the engine about to return to quarters.

“Do you want us to trail along and pull you again if you get stuck?” asked Bob of the engineer.

“Well, you might come in handy,” was the answer. “We’re much obliged to you, boys.”

“Glad we were on deck,” said Jerry. “However, I guess you will not need us again,” and he sent the auto ahead at a good speed. “We’ll take a little ride before we go home,” he added to his chums.

It was a bright moonlight night, rather warm for the close of September, and the road was a fairly good one, so the boys skimmed along, their thoughts on the western trip they were soon to make. For several miles they kept on. Suddenly Jerry yanked the levers and put on the brakes.

“What’s the matter?” asked Bob, as the auto came to a stop.

“There,” replied Jerry,