.

"You're right, Spider!" echoed Tom Betts. "That's where the fire lies.
See how it keeps on getting brighter right along, showing that the
blaze has got a firm grip. Hey! wait for me, can't you, fellows?"

"Wait your granny!" shouted Bobolink over his shoulder as he fled
wildly down the street. "Run for all your worth, old ice-wagon. Whoop!
here we come, Stanhope's fire-fighters!"

There was excitement on every side of them now. Doors opened to emit
men hastily donning rubber coats and firemen's hats. Women and
children had commenced to scream at each other across dividing fences.
Dogs began to join in the general confusion by barking madly. And
above all the increasing clamor, the brazen notes of the fire bell
continued to clang furiously.

The nine scouts, being already on the street at the time the alarm was
turned in, had a big advantage over others, since they were dressed in
the beginning. As they ran on they were joined by a number of men and
women who had chanced to be up at this late hour, possibly decorating
Christmas trees for the benefit of the children on the coming
morning.

CHAPTER X

THE ACCUSATION

"Can you guess where it is, Jack?" gasped Frank Savage as he strove to
keep alongside the other while running to the fire.

Just then they reached a corner, and as they dashed around it they
came in plain sight of the conflagration.

"It's Briggs' store, fellows!" shouted Frank over his shoulder.

Ten seconds later all of them were on the spot where already a little
cluster of men and boys were gathered, some of them near neighbors,
others having come up ahead of the scouts.

"Hey! what's this I see?" Bobolink said to his chum nearest him; "two
of the Lawson crowd here, dodging about and grinning as if they
thought it a picnic?"

"Look at old Briggs, will you?" cried Sandy Griggs. "He's dancing
around like a chicken after you've chopped its head off."

"Did you ever see anybody so excited?" demanded Bobolink. "Hold on!
what's that he's saying now about somebody setting his store afire on
purpose?"

"It's a black scheme to get me out of competition!" the little, old
storekeeper was crying as he wrung his hands wildly. "Somebody must
have known that my insurance ran out three weeks ago, and for once I
neglected to renew it! I shall be ruined if it all goes! Why don't
some of you try to save my property?"

"Boys, it seems that it's up to us to get busy and do something!"
exclaimed