erred was not yet in a blaze, but
the smoke was curling from every opening, showing that the fire was
making rapid headway in that direction. Presently came a change in the
wind, causing the smoke to veer around.

"It's a man--in that upper window!" ejaculated Artie, pointing with his
hand. "Why don't you jump down?" he yelled.

"I can't!" came in a painful gasp. "My leg is caught fast in some
machinery and I can't loosen it. Save me, for the love of Heaven! Don't
let me die like this--even if I am a Confederate!"

"Caught fast!" echoed Deck. "Can't you break away at all?"

"No! no! Reckon my leg is broken!" The unfortunate one gave a moan of
pain. "Won't you do something for me?"

"I will--if it can be done," answered Deck. He turned to the cavalrymen
standing near. "Boys, have any of you seen a ladder about?"

One and another shook their heads. "There's a box," said one, "but it's
not over three feet high, and the window is twenty feet up."

"The box won't do. How about a rope?"

"Here's a stout cord," said another.

"Not heavy enough."

"Help me--quick! The fire is coming this way!" shrieked the imperilled
Confederate. "Save me, and I'll give you all I'm worth!"

"I'm coming!" answered Deck. "I wonder where the stairs are," he half
muttered, as he turned toward one of the entrances to the mill.

"For gracious' sake, Deck, what are you going to do?" cried Artie.

"Going to that fellow's aid."

"But it's not safe to enter the building. The fire is working this way
just as hard as it can."

"I'll risk it, Artie; I don't want to see that poor fellow die like a
rat in a trap."

"Yes, but--but--"

"There is no time to waste, Artie," answered Deck, and breaking away
from the hold the captain had taken, he leaped for the wide-open door of
the mill.

"If he goes, I'll go too," cried Artie, and started to follow the major;
but strong hands held him back.

"One is enough," said Captain Abbey. "I trust he is successful."

Captain Richland shook his head seriously. "The fire is sweeping to
this quarter of the building with great swiftness," he remarked.

Into the building rushed Deck, to find himself at once in an atmosphere
charged with smoke, yet not so heavily but that he could see about him.
To his left was a rough wooden stairway with an iron rod for a
hand-rail. Leaping for this, he began to mount the stairs three steps at
a time.

The higher up he went, the thicker became the smoke, and on the u