e open and the doors, too," gasped Frank, in answer to
this last request.

"Don't be alarmed, any one," Allen commanded. "It's nothing but a
clogged-up chimney, and that won't hurt anybody."

"But the smoke!" gasped Mollie. "Why, the house will be ruined. What
will Aunt Elvira say?"

"Oh, it won't hurt anything," said Betty, making a brave attempt to push
her way through the smoke into the living room. "But it is terrible.
Can't we do something to stop it, boys?"

"I don't know how we can--unless----" Roy turned quickly to Mollie. "Did
your aunt say anything about a blower?" he asked eagerly.

"I don't remember--I--I don't remember," stammered poor Mollie, whose
memory was being taxed to the utmost. "You might look though, and see
what you can find."

"Oh, do hurry, somebody!" begged Grace. "I'll take to the woods in
another minute."

"Oh, have a little patience, Sis, can't you?" cried Will, losing his
temper. "We are all doing the best we can."

"But look," said Mollie, suddenly pointing to the other room. "The
smoke is beginning to clear and the wood isn't half burned out yet."

"Let's investigate," Frank suggested. "Maybe we can find out what is
wrong with the thing. Come on," and in they all trooped, coughing and
choking, but dauntless.

"Get me a stick, will you, girls," Roy entreated, as he went nearer to
inspect the fire-place. "A broom will do. Or anything else you happen to
have around."

Mollie disappeared into the kitchen and returned a moment later,
bringing back with her an old stick that looked as though it might have
been a clothespole in its better days.

"Will this do?" she asked, holding it out to Roy. "It was the only thing
I could find."

"Just what I wanted," Roy answered. "Now, fellows, let's see what we can
do with the thing."

The four boys crowded around, peering up into the opening as if they
hoped to find the solution of the mystery there, while the girls watched
them with breathless interest.

It was then that it happened. Roy poked upward inquiringly with his
stick, and for answer a cloud of soot and ashes discharged itself from
the chimney, showering the boys' faces with grimy dust.

They drew back with cries of disgust and began rubbing their eyes and
faces furiously. Then the four blackened adventurers turned to the girls
appealingly. They looked so funny, standing there with their faces black
and their clothes bespattered with grime and a look of sheepish chagrin
on