d Jack.

The water was thrown on the blazing barrels, and then the teacher tried
to knock them flat with his rake. But that caused a heavy shower of
sparks to ascend, setting fire to some nearby bushes.

"It will be better to use the shovel," said Jack. "Dirt will put out
such a fire quicker than anything."

"I believe you, Major Ruddy," answered Mr. Strong, and then he sent some
cadets back for more shovels and a few pickaxes, with which to loosen up
the dirt.

Soon many more cadets arrived, and with them Captain Putnam. Among the
number were Coulter and Ritter, and the pair looked much dismayed.

"Say, I didn't think the fire would spread to the woods," whispered Gus
Coulter.

"Hush!" warned his crony. "Don't you admit that we did it. If it comes
to the worst, say it was an accident, that we were trying to light a
torch, to sneak the barrels away, when they took fire."

"All right."

More water was thrown on the barrels, and then a small army of cadets
commenced to dig up dirt and stones, with which to cover the burning
objects. This worked very well on the barrels. But to reach the trees
was different. One thick cedar was blazing away like a torch--the flames
far above their heads.

"Let us cut that tree down," ordered Captain Putnam.

Two axes had been brought along, and Dale used one while Peleg Snuggers
wielded the other. Soon the cedar commenced to totter.

"Look out!" cried Captain Putnam, and then crash! the tree came down,
directly on top of the tar-barrels. Up went a thick cloud of smoke and
sparks. But the cadets were ready with dirt and stones, and the danger
of a new blaze was quickly averted.

While the tree was being cut down, the cadets and teachers had been busy
with pickaxes and shovels, and also with their rakes and wet swabs, and
had put out much of the fire elsewhere. One more tree had to be leveled,
and this work was done by Joe and Bart. Then, after five minutes more
of hard work, the last of the fire was extinguished, and the crowd in
the woods was left in darkness.

"Hello, it's dark enough now," cried Pepper. "We'll need a lantern to
get out with."

"Here's a torch," answered one cadet, and took up a cedar bough, and
commenced to wave it into a flame.

"No more of that, Bates!" cried Captain Putnam. "We have had enough of
fire. We'll go back in the dark. Snuggers, you stay here and see to it
that the fire doesn't break out again."

"Yes, sir," answered the general utility