e the most of his circumstances.

It was past one o'clock when the fire was finally extinguished. A few
night-birds and late revellers still hung about it, as if in the hope
that it would burst forth again, and afford them fresh excitement; but
before two o'clock, everyone had gone away, and Joe was left alone with
his "preventer" and lantern. Even the policeman on the beat appeared to
avoid him; for, although he passed the ruin at regular intervals in his
rounds, he did not stop at it beyond a few moments, to see that the
fireman's lantern was burning and all right.

"Corney, me lad," said Joe to himself, "it's bad luck has befallen ye
this night; but face yer luck like a man now, and shame it."

Encouraging himself thus, he grasped his preventer, and pulled about the
_debris_ in various places of which he had some suspicion; but the
engines had done their work so effectually that not a spark remained.
Then Joe walked up and down, and in and out for an hour; studied the
half-consumed pictures that still hung on the walls of one of the lower
rooms, which had not been completely destroyed; moralised on the dire
confusion and ruin that could be accomplished in so short a space of
time; reflected on the probable condition of the unfortunates who had
been burnt out; on the mutability of human affairs in general, and
wondered what his "owld mother" would think of him, if she saw him in
his forlorn situation.

This latter thought caused his mind to revert to ghosts; but he was
comforted by hearing the slow, distant foot-fall of the policeman. On
it came, not unlike the supposed step of an unearthly visitant, until
the guardian of the night stood revealed before him on the other side of
the road.

"It's a cowld night intirely," cried Corney.

"It is," responded the policeman.

"How goes the inimy?" inquired the fireman.

"Just gone three," replied the other.

The policeman's voice, although gruff, was good-humoured and hearty; but
he was evidently a strict disciplinarian, for he uttered no other word,
and passed on.

"Faix, I'm gettin' slaipy," remarked Joe to himself, with a loud yawn.
"I'll go and rest a bit."

So saying, he re-entered the ruin, and with the aid of his lantern
sought about for the least uncomfortable apartment on the ground floor.
He selected one which was comparatively weather-tight. That is to say,
only one of the windows had been dashed out, and the ceiling was entire,
with the exception