what Mr. Bratton wanted. He was always in some sort of lawsuit with people, but, possessing means, he hired the best lawyers, and usually came out of the affairs victorious.

[Pg 11]

“Wonder how it started?” gasped Leslie, as he ran alongside Dick and Dan.

“Huh!” grunted Dan, always suspicious, “wouldn’t surprise me one little bit if somebody just set it going. You know how they detest Bratton, and lots of people will laugh themselves sick if his barn—yes, and house too—goes up in smoke.”

“Better not say that again, Dan,” cautioned Dick. “It might get you into a peck of trouble if some friend of Bratton’s chanced to hear you.”

The boys soon reached the scene of excitement. The smoke was pouring out of the barn worse than ever. Perhaps it was a case of spontaneous combustion, for oily waste and rags often take fire, especially during the warm summer months. No one seemed to be bothering his head as to what had caused the fire; it was enough for all to see that the tongues of flame had commenced to spit through the billowing smoke, showing that the conflagration was becoming serious.

When eighteen lively boys are suddenly brought[Pg 12] upon the scene, something is apt to be doing. Nat and a few of the others began immediately to see a fine chance to have some fun out of the affair.

[Pg 12]

“Hey! let’s try to throw some water on the fire, fellers!” shouted Nat; but those who knew him best surmised that it was the hope of finding a chance for a prank rather than a desire to assist in saving Mr. Bratton’s property that urged him on.

There was a rush forward, and many of the boys started to scale the fence. One of the gates was thrown open, and immediately several squealing pigs commenced to run down the road.

“Hi! shut that gate again, you fools!” shouted the owner of the premises, who, in his excitement, was running back and forth, starting to do one thing and then changing to another. “D’ye want to let all my valuable pigs break away?”

“Here come the firemen on the run!” a voice was heard to call out, one of the boys perched on top of the high fence being the alert scout to convey the news.

Cliffwood firemen had made a good reputation for themselves in times past. It was a volunteer 

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