But few others, save those who hoped for a ride on it, agreed with the
bully, and Bert's homemade bob was held to be champion of the hill.

Then came many more coasts, Bert giving Nan and Flossie and Freddie,
and a number of their little girl and boy friends, several rides.

Until late that evening the coasting kept up, and Bert and Charley were
congratulated on all sides for the fine bob they had made. And what
fun Bert had home after supper, telling of how he had won the race!

It was in the middle of the night, when the Bobbsey household was
awakened by the ringing of fire bells. They all heard the alarm, and
as Papa Bobbsey counted the number, he said to his wife:

"That must be near here. Guess I'll look. It's a windy night and a
fire in my lumber yard would be very bad."

As he went to the window he saw a glare on the sky in the direction of
the lake.

"It is near here!" he said. "The engines are going past our house!
I'd better take a look."

"Can I come?" asked the little "Fat Fireman" from his cot. "Take me,
papa!"

CHAPTER XIX

WHO WAS SMOKING?

MR. BOBBSEY laughed, though he was worried about the fire. It seemed
so odd for Freddie to want to go out in the cold, dark night.

"Not this time, my Fat Fireman!" said Freddie's papa. "It may be only
a pile of rubbish on fire. I'll tell you about it when I come back."

"Where does it seem to be?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey.

"Down near the lake," answered her husband. "I'm afraid, he added in a
lower voice, that it may be our boathouse. It seems to be about there."

"Oh, I hope not!" she exclaimed. "Still, better that than our own
house."

"If it's near the lake, papa," said Flossie who heard part of what her
father said, "it will be easy to put it out, for there is plenty of
water."

"Pooh! engines have their own water!" exclaimed Freddie, who had rather
hazy notions as to how fire engines work. He was getting over his
disappointment about not being allowed to go with his father, and had
again cuddled down in his warm crib.

Another engine dashed by the Bobbsey house, and the ringing of the
alarm bell increased. The voices and footsteps of many persons, as
they rushed on to the blaze, could also be heard, and there resounded
the cry of:

"Fire! Fire! Fire!"

Bert, who had been aroused with the others of the household, was
dressing in his room. He felt that his father would let him go to the
fire. At any rate he intended to be all