lance
understanding the position of affairs. "Let's get out of this."

That was not quite so easy. There was fire on all sides, and they must
rush through it at some risk. However, it was every moment getting
worse, and there was no chance for delay.

"Foller me," said Jerry, and he dashed through, closely pursued by Ben.

By this time quite a crowd of men and boys had gathered around the
burning bales.

When the two boys rushed out, there was a general exclamation of
surprise. Then one burly man caught Jerry by the arm, and said, "Here's
the young villain that set the bales on fire."

"Let me alone, will you?" said Jerry. "Yer grandmother set it on fire,
more likely."

No sooner was Jerry seized, than another man caught hold of Ben, and
forcibly detained him.

"I've got the other," he said.

"Now, you young rascal, tell me how you did it," said the first. "Was
you smokin'?"

"No, I wasn't," said Jerry, shortly. "I was sleepin' along of this other
boy."

"What made you come here to sleep?"

"'Cause we hadn't no other bed."

"Are you sure you wasn't smoking?"

"Look here," said Jerry, contemptuously, "you must think I'm a fool, to
go and set my own bed on fire."

"That's true," said a bystander. "It wouldn't be very likely."

"Who did it, then?" asked the stout man, suspiciously.

"It's the watchman. I seed him smokin' when I turned in."

"Where is he now?"

Search was made for the watchman, but he had disappeared. Awaking to a
consciousness of what mischief he had caused through his carelessness,
he had slipped away in the confusion, and was not likely to return.

"The boy tells the truth," said one of the crowd. "I saw the watchman
smoking myself. No doubt the fire caught from his pipe. The boys are
innocent. Better let them go."

The two custodians of Jerry and Ben released their hold, and they gladly
availed themselves of the opportunity to remove themselves to a safer
distance from their late bedchamber.

Two fire-engines came thundering up, and streams of water were directed
effectively at the burning bales. The flames were extinguished, but not
till considerable damage had been done.

As the two boys watched the contest between the flames and the engines,
from a safe distance, they heard the sonorous clang of the bell in the
church-tower, ringing out twelve o'clock.

CHAPTER VII.

BEN'S TEMPTATION.

"Jest my luck!" complained Jerry. "Why couldn't the fire have waited
till