ee, however, the scouts found
that they could ease up a little for, with the arrival of one more load
of colored lamps from headquarters, the tree would be thoroughly
decorated even to the shining electrically illuminated star on top which
Jiminy Gordon placed there with the help of an extra long ladder.

"Whoope-e-e! almost through. Don't it look fine, eh? And here comes
Bruce with the last load of lamps. Come on, fellows, and help unload the
sleigh," shouted Bud Weir as Jiminy finally reached the ground after he
had finished wiring the big star in place.

"Right-o-o! and last man to the curb is no good," shouted Nipper Knapp,
starting to run. Next moment there was a scurry of scouts through the
snow that covered the square and a pell-mell race to the curb where Bruce
drew up the panting Blossom with a jingle of bells and a shower of
powdery snow.

"Whoa there, Blossom," he shouted. Then to the scouts, "Come on, you
duffers, and get these things unloaded. I want to get the horse into the
stable so I can do some work, too."

The "duffers" arrived with a rush and in a twinkle the boxes were being
removed from the sleigh in a manner quite violent, and this to the
imminent peril of the contents.

"Hi, not so bloomin' reckless," shouted Bruce, "don't smash 'em, whatever
you do. They are the last colored lamps in town and we need 'em. And,
say--listen--what's the fuss up the street? Hear 'em shoutin'? Gee,
it's a runaway an' here it comes--no--no--it's going to turn down High
Street toward the railroad--an'--cracky! fellows, there's a freight
pulling out of the siding! See the smoke! And there's a woman and a
girl in the cutter! Wow! Look at those chumps up the street shoutin'
and wavin' their arms. That's no way to stop a horse! Those women will
be killed. Hi, Bud, hop in here. Come on, we've got to stop 'em. I'm
goin' after 'em with Blossom. Geet_yap_ there, Blossom. Git, now, that's
t' girl. Go!"

There could be no mistaking the fact that the horse and cutter coming
down the street was a runaway. The big animal was almost mad with
fright. His eyes bulged out until the whites showed and its nostrils
were distended with fear. And, to make matters worse, there were a dozen
men and boys shouting and waving their hands in a foolish effort to stop
the horse. But all that they accomplished was to make the animal still
more frightened.

Fortunately, Bud's mind acted as quickly as Bruce's. He cam