Dick Hamilton's Football Team; Or, A Young Millionaire On The Gridiron

by Howard Roger Garis

  CHAPTER XIII

  THE RESCUE OF DUTTON

  "What do you mean? Grit in there--in the ammunition house?" cried Paul,hurrying after his chum. He wondered whether he had understood Dickrightly.

  "Yes, he's there," came the reply, and the young millionaire neverturned around as he sped down the corridor that was rapidly filling withhalf-dressed cadets who had been aroused by the cries of the janitors."They're repairing the stable where I keep him nights, and as it wasunlocked I put Grit in the powder house so no one would steal him. Nowit's on fire!"

  "We'll get him!" cried Paul. "Come on, fellows, Dick's dog is in there!"

  The flames were now more plainly visible, and they were gaining rapidly.Two of the janitors, one of whom was Toots, had pails of water and weredashing the fluid on the fire, while others were unreeling a hose.

  The ammunition house was a large one, made in the main of concrete, butthere was built on it a small, wooden shed under which some emptypacking boxes and cases were stored, and where some garden tools werekept. It was this shed which had caught fire, and unless it was quicklyput out the flames might communicate to the wooden door of the powderhouse proper. There could be but one result then--an explosion.

  Everyone realized this as he rushed on to fight the fire. Some of theprofessors were now up and were issuing orders, but there was so muchexcitement that no one paid much attention to them.

  "Is there a good water pressure?" panted Paul.

  "I don't know," answered Dick, as he ran on. "There was the other daywhen we had fire drill, but maybe just when we want it there won't beany."

  "Hurry! Hurry!" shouted Toots, as he and the others dashed pail afterpail of water on the fire.

  "Use the hose! Turn on the water!" cried Ray Dutton, who was just aheadof Dick. "Why don't you turn on the pressure?"

  "Guess they don't know how to do it," answered the young millionaire."One of those men is a new hand. Come on, boys, I can't see Grit burnedto death!"

  "He's howling now," cried Paul.

  Indeed the frightened yelping of the imprisoned animal could be heardabove the roar and crackle of the flames, and Dick increased his speed.

  "I'm coming, Grit! I'm coming!" he shouted, but it is doubtful if thedog heard him.

  The burning shed was in front of the only door to the ammunition house,and the fire must first be extinguished before the portal could bereached. To go through the flames now was out of the question.

  "Keep back, boys! Keep back!" cried Major Webster. "There may be anexplosion any moment. Keep back!"

  "But my dog is in there!" shouted Dick. "I must get Grit out!"

  "You can't. It's madness to go too close!"

  "I'm going to!" replied Dick grimly. "We'll put out the fire."

  "Then use the hose--don't go too close with the buckets. That woodenshed should never have been built where it is."

  "Come on! Get the hose into action!" yelled Dutton, and taking thenozzle from the hands of puzzled and inexperienced men, the cadetdirected it at the fire, while Dick and Paul, aided by some of theircompanions, turned on the water, the supply coming from a big storagetank, raised high on metal supports to give the necessary force.

  A moment later the water spurted from the nozzle and sprayed on the firewith a hiss of steam.

  "That's the stuff!" shouted Dick. "We'll soon have you out of there,Grit! Wait a minute, old boy!"

  This time the dog heard his master's voice, and a joyful bark replacedhis howls of fear.

  It was high time that there be used some more effective means of puttingout the fire than buckets of water, for the flames were burningfiercely.

  "It's lucky that the door of the powder house is thick," murmured MajorWebster. "It will take some time to burn through. But if it does----"

  He did not finish his half-spoken thought, but shuddered as he looked atthe cadets grouped around the burning structure. He wanted to order themaway, but he knew the only safety lay in putting out the flames toprevent the explosion. And the cadets seemed to be the only ones capableof handling the situation, for the janitors had completely lost theirheads and were so confused that they could not obey the simplest order.

  "Get the other hose into action!" cried the major, for there were twosmall lines available for use at the powder house. "You'll never get itout with one."

  "I'll attend to it!" answered Dick, and, leaving Dutton and Paul tomanage the one line, he and John Stiver ran to the other and beganunreeling that.

  The flames were now at their height, and were blazing high, the looseand light wood of the packing boxes making excellent fuel.

  "Hurry! Hurry!" nervously ordered the major, doing all he could.Colonel Masterly and some of the other instructors now arrived, butthere was little they could do.

  "If we can only keep the fire away from the door a little longer,"murmured the colonel. "They are subduing it, don't you think, Major?"

  "They are doing good work--plucky lads. It takes an emergency like thisto show their mettle."

  "Do you think the door will catch?"

  "I hope not, but----"

  It was a vain hope, as they could see a moment later.

  A puff of wind blew the smoke and flames aside for a second, and the twomen could look plainly at the thick door of the ammunition building.What they saw caused them to start back, for a tiny whisp of fire waseating away at the edge of the portal.

  "Too late!" groaned the colonel. "We must get the boys back! We shallhave to let it burn. Get back, boys! Get back!"

  "We'll have it out in another minute!" yelled Dick, as he turned on thewater from his line. "I'm going to save Grit!"

  The fire died down for a few seconds, owing to the increased amount ofwater poured on it, but it was only for a moment, and then it flared upagain. But the cadets fought on grimly. Some were even using pails,dipping water from a nearby cistern, and they would not obey the ordersof the teachers to keep back. They did little good, however, as theycould not get near enough to make much of the fluid effective.

  The door of the powder house was now burning in a larger area, and itseemed that the explosion might come at any moment. All saw it, andwhile they knew that they themselves could get a safe distance away, andwhile they realized that even if the powder did blow up, none of thecollege buildings would be damaged, it was different in the case oftheir favorite club house--the Sacred Pig--for it was close to theblazing structure.

  "It will be 'roast pig' in a few minutes," murmured Paul Drew ruefully.

  "I should say yes," agreed Dutton. "But we won't let it happen. If onlythe water holds out!"

  Once more came a howl from the imprisoned Grit.

  "Poor dog!" cried Dick, stooping down to see if there was a chance toget in and save his pet. But there seemed to be none.

  Almost at that instant the roof of the burning shed fell in, carryingwith it part of the half consumed structure. This gave a better view ofthe powder house door, which was seen to be on fire in several places.Grit's howls of anguish became louder.

  "I can't stand that--I'm going to save him!" cried Dutton to GeorgeHall.

  "But how can you? You can't get near the place."

  "Yes, I can--there's a side window. I wonder some of us didn't think ofit before. I can reach it by a short ladder, and break open the windowwith an axe. Here goes. You handle the hose in my place."

  Before George could make any objection, Dutton had thrust the nozzleinto his friend's hand and was running toward the powder house. On hisway he caught up a light ladder and a fire axe that was on one of thehose reel carts.

  "Where are you going, Dutton?" called Major Webster.

  "To get Dick's dog--out through the window. I can do it all right."

  "Come back!" cried the major, but the cadet did not heed.

  Dick was having his hands full with the hose and for a moment he did notsee what his former enemy had done. The fire was a little less fiercenow, as the material on which it fed had been nearly all consumed, butthe door w
as blazing in spots. They played water on it, but as fast asone area of fire was extinguished it would break out in another.

  There came a crash of glass and a cry from Dutton.

  "I'm in! Look out for Grit. Here he comes--through the window!"

  "Grit! Through the window!" cried Dick in amazement. "Why--how----?"

  "Ray went in after him!" called George Hall.

  "There's the dog."

  At that instant the cadet inside the powder house thrust Grit out of thewindow. The brute fell harmlessly in a heap on the grass, but sprang upa moment later and rushed toward the fire-fighting cadets.

  "Here, old man!" cried Dick, and the dog went into a demonstration ofjoy, fawning all over his master, while the youth hugged the ugly butloving animal close in his arms, the hose being grasped by ready handsas he let go of it.

  "Come out, Dutton, come out!" cried Major Webster. "Come out at once."

  Hardly had he spoken than there sounded from within the powder house adull explosion. It was not a hard one, and no evidences of it could beobserved outside the structure. But the cadets and professors looked ateach other in alarm, their faces lighted up by the dancing flames. Theyall knew what it meant.

  "The beginning of the end!" remarked the colonel gravely. "Get back,everyone! I order it!"

  "But Ray Dutton is in there!" cried Dick. "He may be injured and can'tget out. I'm going to save him!"

  The young millionaire sprang away. Grit started to follow.

  "Come back at once!" ordered the colonel.

  "Not until I save him!" answered Dick. "He risked his life to save mydog, and now I'll rescue him! Go back, Grit. Wait for me."

  The dog whined but obeyed, and Dick ran on. As he passed by the secondhose reel he grasped from it an axe. Straight for the door of the powderhouse he ran, the water from the two lines of hose falling in a sprayaround him.

  The fire was now sufficiently out to permit of reaching the portal overthe wet embers which still glowed faintly. The shed had fallen apart andwhat was left of it was burning on one side. Little tongues of flamespurted here and there on the main door.

  Dick rushed up and with the axe began raining blows on the portal. Hisfellow cadets cheered lustily, and then devoted all their energies tokeeping the water playing about their brave comrade. He was soakedthrough but in this lay his only safety, for the flames still weredangerously close.

  There came another slight explosion inside the powder house. Evidentlysmall cases of the gun cartridges were going off, but as they were allblanks there was no danger from bullets.

  "Ray--are you alive--are you all right?" cried Dick, as he paused for amoment. There was no answer, and he rained the blows from the axe moremadly than before.

  With a crash the door gave way. Flinging his implement aside, Dicksprang into the powder house. There was an anxious moment, and thecadets and instructors waited in fear and trembling.

  "He may be overcome by the powder fumes," said the colonel. "Poorlads--they may both be killed."

  An instant after the colonel had spoken a form appeared in the blackeneddoorway. One form? No, two, for in his arms Dick Hamilton bore the limpbody of Dutton.

  "He's got him! He's got him!" yelled Paul Drew, and a great shoutfollowed his words.

  On staggered Dick with his burden. Grit saw his master in the nowdimming light from the fire, and barked joyfully.

  "Back! Get back everybody!" panted the young millionaire. "She's goingup! There's a fire inside! Get back--quick!"