om the three strong men who were holding it, a jet of water struck the
burning floor with a force that would have shattered less substantial
timbers.

"Hurrah for Ninety-four!" and Seth sprang to the hose, intent on doing a
full share of the work even though his face was almost blistered by the
heat.

"Get back, Amateur, get back! It's too hot for you here!" and Ben Dunton
thrust Seth aside with his elbow at the very instant a wild scream was
heard on the stairway in the rear of the firemen.

Turning quickly Seth saw dimly through the volume of choking vapor the
form of a woman, and it seemed to him that Ben Dunton was trying to
force her down the stairs when she shrieked:

"There's a child on the next floor!"

Jerry Walters and Joe Black could not leave their places of duty; but
Ben Dunton sprang forward, and almost instinctively Seth followed, the
smoke being so dense at the top of the stairs as to screen his movements
from the view of those at the nozzle.

For an instant he fancied Jerry called his name, and then he was groping
his way upward, half-blinded, choking, but eager to do what he might
toward a rescue.

He gained the second landing.

Here everything was obscured by the black smoke, and he could no longer
see Dunton, although now and then a crashing noise as of wood being
splintered under heavy blows told, as he believed, that the brave
fireman was intent on the effort to save life even though his own might
pay the forfeit.

Then with a roar the flames burst from the elevator shaft directly in
front of him, and he staggered on along the hallway, hardly knowing in
which direction he was going until, from behind a door near at hand came
that which sounded like the crying of a child.

He had only to turn the knob in order to gain an entrance into the
apartment, which seemed entirely free from smoke, as compared with the
place he had just left.

On the floor near the window sat a child crying piteously, and Seth
caught the little thing in his arms, thinking it would be possible to
gain the foot of the stairs, where he had left Black and Walters, before
either he or his charge should receive serious injury.

Thus laden he ran toward the hallway, but only to retreat.

The flames were pouring up through the shaft, spreading out in every
direction, and forming such a barrier as he could not hope to pass.

He shouted for Dunton, but no reply came, and for the briefest interval
of time he despaired.