ing in that
direction, but fire-engines began to dash from side streets everywhere,
and to rush towards the smoke as if they were sentient things impatient
for the fray.

The cause of such unusual vigour and accumulation of power was, that a
fire anywhere about the docks is deemed pre-eminently dangerous, owing
to the great and crowded warehouses being stuffed from cellars to
roof-trees with combustibles. The docks, in regard to fire, form the
citadel of London. If the enemy gets a footing there, he must be
expelled at all hazards and at any cost.

As the Captain and his _protege_ hurried along, they were naturally led
in the direction of their home. A vague undefined fear at the same
instant took possession of both, for they glanced gravely at each other
without speaking, and, as if by mutual consent, began to run. Gillie
had no need now to complain of his companion's pace. He had enough to
do to keep up with it. There were many runners besides themselves now,
for the fire was obviously near at hand, and the entire population of
the streets seemed to be pressing towards it. A few steps more brought
them in sight of the head of Grubb's Court. Here several fire-engines
were standing in full play surrounded by a swaying mass of human beings.
Still there was no sign of the precise locality of the fires for the
tall houses hid everything from view save the dense cloud which
overshadowed them all.

Even Captain Wopper's great strength would have been neutralised in such
a crowd if it had not now been seconded by an excitement and anxiety
that nothing could resist. He crushed his way through as if he had been
one of the steam fire-engines, Gillie holding tight to the stout tails
of his monkey jacket. Several powerful roughs came in his way, and
sought to check him. The Captain had hitherto merely used his shoulders
and his weight. To the roughs he applied a fist--right and left--and
two went down. A few seconds brought him to the cordon of policemen.
They had seen him approaching, and one placed himself in front of the
Captain with the quiet air of a man who is accustomed _never_ to give
way to physical force!

"I live down Grubb's Court, my man," said the Captain, with an eager
respectful air, for he was of a law-abiding spirit.

The constable stepped aside, and nodded gravely. The Captain passed the
line, but Gillie was pounced upon as if he had been a mouse and the
constable a cat.

"_He_ belongs to m