-station they leaped to the ground, and all went
quickly and silently to their neighbouring homes and beds, except the
two men on duty. These, changing their coats and boots, lay down on the
trestles, and at once fell fast asleep--the engine and horses having
been previously housed--and then Dale sat down to make an entry of the
event in his day-book.

The whole thing might have been only a vivid dream, so silent was the
room and so devoid of any evidence of recent excitement, while the
reigning tranquillity was enhanced rather than decreased by the soft
breathing of the sleepers, the ticking of the clock, and the scratching
of Dale's pen as he briefly recorded the facts of the fire that night in
Beverly Square.

CHAPTER FIVE.

WILLIE WILLDERS IN DIFFICULTIES.

During the progress of the fire, small Willie Willders was in a state of
the wildest, we might almost say hilarious, excitement; he regarded not
the loss of property; the fire never struck him in _that_ light. His
little body and big spirit rejoiced in the whole affair as a magnificent
display of fireworks and heroism.

When the fire burst through the library windows he shouted; when Sam
Forest, the conductor of the fire-escape, saved Mr Auberly and the
women, he hurrahed; when the tall fireman and Baxmore rescued Louisa
Auberly he cheered and cheered again until his shrill voice rose high
above the shouting of the crowd. When the floors gave way he screamed
with delight, and when the roof fell in he shrieked with ecstasy.

Sundry and persevering were the efforts he made to break through the
police by fair means and foul; but, in his energy, he over-reached
himself, for he made himself so conspicuous that the police paid special
attention to him, and wherever he appeared he was snubbed and thrust
back, so that his great desire to get close to the men while they were
at work was frustrated.

Willie had a brother who was a fireman, and he wished earnestly that he
might recognise him, if present; but he knew that, being attached to the
southern district of the City, he was not likely to be there, and even
if he were, the men were all so much alike in their uniform, that it was
impossible at a distance to distinguish one from another. True it is
that his brother was uncommonly tall, and very strong; but as the London
firemen were all picked men, many of them were very tall, and all of
them were strong.

Not until the last engine left the ground, did