He thanked her with a kindling glance of pleasure, and answered:
"It will give me pleasure to explain it all to you, Miss Harding. It is very simple indeed, depending on the skill and dexterity of the men. In the first place, the rules of the game require fifteen men. They must run two hundred yards to the hydrant, with a hose cart, and from that point lay one hundred yards of hose, make a coupling, and screw on the pipe. But these technical terms are Greek to you, of course, so I will try to make it clear to you as they proceed."
He did so, and Geraldine, who was beginning to love all firemen, for the sake of the splendid one by her side, watched the contest with breathless interest.
The Newburgh company had only fourteen good runners, and they must have a fifteenth one.
But the rules of the race required that no company should make use of the services of a member of another company.
It was finally decided that as the race was not for a prize, but simply for practice and amusement, the rule might be waived for one in favor of a visiting fireman.
Then a murmur arose among the firemen that suddenly swelled to a clamorous shout:
Mrs. Stansbury, who sat on the other side of Geraldine, looked round, and exclaimed, gayly:
"They are calling you, Mr. Hawthorne. Why don't you go?"
"I prefer remaining here," he smiled back, though a slight flush rose to his brow as the calls continued more clamorously:
All eyes turned on him as he sat unmoved, and a delegation of firemen came to insist on his joining the race.
"Oh, do go, Mr. Hawthorne. I think it will be grand to join the race!" exclaimed Geraldine, enthusiastically, and he rose at once like a gallant knight who has no other wish than to do the behest of his lady-love.
Mrs. Stansbury whispered as he went away:
"He will win the race for them. He is a magnificent athlete, my husband says. And as for horses--well, you should see him control them! They love and obey him like a master, and he has a passion for them. He is a splendid fellow, though there is something rather mysterious about him. He has been driver for No. 17 two years, yet no one knows where he came from or aught about his family. But he is educated above his position, and has betrayed that he has lived abroad. We think he is English or Irish--perhaps a mixture of both. But, anyway, he is just magnificent, and the men and the horses both worship him alike. He has been a hero at dozens of fires, and has several medals of honor, but he will not accept promotion. He says he loves the horses, and will not give up driving. But look! the team is about to start!"