Firemen at headquarters turned detectives Tuesday morning in order to solve what threatened to be a mystery.

A large red blot was found on the stairway leading upstairs to the storehouse. Two of the fire­men immediately got busy. It was blood undoubtedly, they said.

The, mystery developed. Some­one had heard groans about the building. Some strangers had been seen about. Somebody even thought they he had heard a shot.

Boys of the recreation depart­ment, which also has headquarters upstairs at the fire station, cleared up the mystery. They admitted that they had burned some red Christmas candles on the stairway.