"0oh! Wait till I get my breath. Will! Weeull! Don't go sofay-ust! 0ooh! I can't stand it. 0h, well, you're a man."

But when they turn the corner that gives them a good view of theblaze, fluttering great puffs of flame, and hear the steady crackleand snapping, as it were, of a great popper full of pop-corn, they,too, catch the infection, and run with a loud swashing and slattingof skirts, giggling and squealing about their hair coming down.

In the waving orange glare the crowd is seen, shifting and moving.It seems impossible for the onlookers to remain constant in onespot. The chief, Charley Lomax, is gesticulating with wide armmovements. He puts his speaking-trumpet to his mouth."Yoffemoffemoffemoffemoffi" he says.

"Wha-at?" the men halloo back.