oupons. They may invite us to the house, although they
are a very exclusive sort and are supposed to associate only with
millionaires, and the descendants of the oldest and best families."

"The girl does not seem to have any of that nonsense," said Jack,
"and she is really very pleasant company. By the way," with a
smile, "she did invite me to the house, but I guess you did not
hear it."

"Well, well, you are coming on, Jack!" exclaimed Dick. "Of course
she would invite you. Why not?"

"And she asked me to bring you, Dick," with another chuckle. "That
is all right, too, isn't it?"

"Why, of course!" and Dick grinned again. "We will go as soon
as we can, Jack."

The visit to the fine house back of the river was made sooner than
the boys anticipated, and in a most unexpected and unusual fashion.

It was about twelve o'clock at night, and everything was quiet
in and about the camp when all at once there was a wild alarm,
a sudden ringing of bells and shouting of voices, and Bucephalus
tore through the camp shouting at each tent:

"Wake up, sah, dere am a big fiah, wake up!"

Jack and Percival were the first to be aroused, and to run out of
their tent at the sudden alarm.

"There is a fire somewhere!" exclaimed Jack, smelling smoke and
seeing a light in the sky.

"It is up at Van der Donk's," cried Percival. "That is the direction,
I am sure. Hurry and get dressed, Jack. We may be needed."

Other boys were now coming out, asking questions, staring this way
and that, rubbing their eyes or standing in a bewildered fashion,
and wondering what all the commotion was about.

A messenger came running into the camp from the big house asking
for help to put out the fire, which had just been discovered, and
which had already gained considerable headway.

The fire was, indeed, at Mr. Van der Donk's, and it was feared that
the fine mansion with its costly furnishings would have to go, as
there was no fire engine company within a mile or more, and it
would be hard to get word to them at this time.

"Stir yourselves, boys!" cried the little colonel, bustling about
half dressed. "We can at least form a bucket brigade. Form the
lines quickly, Percival, and get the boys to moving."

Jack, Dick and others quickly got the boys out, and, not more than
half dressed, most of them, they quickly formed in good order, and
went on the double quick out of the camp and toward the big house.

Every boy had a bucket to d