nd the chemical powder
sprinkled toward the blaze. Sand was also cast on it, but the fire had
spread more than the boys had thought. The choking fumes, too, drove the
amateur blaze-fighters back.

Again Cora came running from the house through the drenching rain.

"I can't get the fire department on the wire!" she cried. "Something is
wrong with the telephone!"

"It's the storm, I guess," answered Jack, coming to the door of the old
barn that had been converted into a garage. He had to have a breath of air.

"Oh, can we help?" cried Eline.

"Better stay out," gasped Ed, as he too, came for a little relief. "I
guess we can keep it from spreading."

By this time several men had run in from the street.

"Where's your water?" asked one.

"Don't want any!" cried Jack. "It's gasoline. Get more sand if you want
to--dry, if you can find it!"

He kicked one of the empty pails toward the men. A flash of lightning
blazed over the structure, and the thunder rumbled as the rain came down
harder than ever.

"This rain'll put it out soon enough!" shouted one of the men helpers.
The boys had gone back into the barn, leaving the girls outside.

"I can get some sand in that!" cried Belle, as she saw a pan in front
of the dog's kennel--it was used to contain his dinner. The girl began
scooping up in it some of the damp gravel from the drive.

"Don't! Don't!" cried her sister. "Drop it. You mustn't hold metal in a
thunder storm."

"Oh, I'm going in!" exclaimed Eline. "I can't bear to be in the open when
it lightens."

She darted toward the garage. Instinctively the others followed. There
seemed to be less smoke coming out now, and no blaze could be seen.

"I guess they can stop it," murmured Cora. "Oh, I do hope they can!"

"Let's go in and help!" cried Bess. "They may need us!"

Bravely the motor girls entered the garage. A shift in the wind had blown
the smoke away from the door. They could see the boys and men fighting
the flames that were in a far corner of the main room.

Belle suddenly ran forward and dashed on the blaze the pan of sand that
she had not relinquished.

"Bravo!" cried Jack. "You're a heroess!"

He held his hand to his smarting eyes.

"Let me take that extinguisher!" begged Belle, plucking a half-emptied one
from him.

"Here's one for me!" exclaimed Bess, picking it up off the floor. It had
not been opened. She knocked off the top and, doing as the others did,
she sent the powder in a sweepin