Page:Castlemon--Joe Wayring at Home.djvu/58

 plans we have been talking about, and come up here to live."

"To live?" echoed Tom.

"Up here in the woods?" cried Ralph.

"Among all these country greenhorns!" chimed in Loren.

"You will find very few country greenhorns in Mount Airy," said Mr. Farnsworth, with a laugh. "Why, boys, those fire companies represent millions of New London's business capital."

"Oh!" said Tom.

"Ah!" said Ralph.

"That makes the thing look different," added Loren. "I supposed that they were made up of the same material we used to find in the old volunteer organizations."

"By no means. They are all rich and intelligent men. They own valuable property here, and by taking an interest in their fire department, they get their insurance at much lower rates than we do in the city."

The near approach of the column put a stop to the conversation. First came the drum-major, a big six-footer, with a high bear-skin