Page:Fairview Boys at Camp.djvu/22

18 "Nary an earthquake," went on Mr. Hobb, who was rather pale. "Indeed everyone had been greatly alarmed.

"But the building shook!" declared Nellie Somers.

"It certainly did," agreed Miss Williams. "I thought surely it was going to fall down."

"And I thought Jed was going to fall down with me," spoke up Johnnie Jones. "He shook me up and down."

"I couldn't help it," said Jed, with blushing face. "You're so—so fat."

"I guess I am," sighed little Johnnie.

"Well, Jed, it was one of the bravest acts I have ever seen," declared the principal, and Jed blushed with pleasure. It seemed that he wanted to make up for his mean tricks in the past by showing that he could be a hero when he desired.

"Now I'll tell you how it was," went on the janitor.

"Yes, do," urged Mr. Tetlow. "We don't want it to happen again."

By this time the excitement had quieted down. There was no more smoke, and there was no smell of fire.

"I had started up the new heating boiler to try it," explained the janitor. "We didn't exactly need steam on today, though it is a bit cold, and it looks like snow. But I thought I'd try the new steam plant, so I built a fire in the boiler.

"I left it going and went off to do some work in another part of the school, and I guess I forgot about the steam. Anyhow, all at once I heard the roar and the rumble, and I felt the building shake. I knew right away what had happened, and I ran down cellar. I didn't even stop to explain to anyone."

"Well, what did happen?" asked the principal.

"Why, the safety valve got stuck, and when the pressure got too heavy it wouldn't let the steam escape. So the pipes, all through the school, were filled and the pressure was so