Chapter 59

The fire bell rang at six Friday morning. Eli had trained himself to listen for it, even in his sleep, so he woke and hurried into the clothes he kept beside the bed every night - heavy duck trousers and shirt. His leather helmet, thick rubber boots and oilcloth coat would be waiting at the fire hall. The helmets were another innovation he'd introduced to the squad after his training in Chicago. Wearing headgear could protect a fireman's life if a roof or ceiling caved in, so Eli had made sure there was one for every volunteer.

The fire proved to be a small one, a tipped over lantern in a barn. It could have been worse, but the farmhand who'd knocked it over had started putting the flames out, even as his coworker had raised the alarm. Other than a few timbers and part of this fall's hay crop, there wasn't much damaged. The chemical extinguisher pump on the new truck worked like a charm.