at the top--so."

The ladder was barely placed when the Captain sprang upon it and ran up
as, many a time before, he had run up the shrouds of his own vessel. A
cheer from the crowd below greeted this display of activity, but it was
changed into a laugh when the Captain, finding the window shut and
bolted, want into the room head first, carrying frame and glass along
with him! Divesting himself of the uncomfortable necklace, he looked
hastily round. The smoke was pretty thick, but not sufficiently so to
prevent his seeing poor Mrs Roby lying on the floor as if she had
fallen down suffocated.

"Cheer up, old lass," he cried, kneeling and raising her head tenderly.

"Is that you, Cappen?" said the old woman, in a weak voice.

"Come, we've no time to lose. Let me lift you; the place is all alight.
I thought you was choked."

"Choked! oh dear, no," replied the old woman, "but I've always heard
that in a fire you should keep your face close to the ground for air--
Ah! gently, Cappen, dear!"

While she was speaking, the Captain was getting her tucked under his
strong right arm. He could have whisked her on his shoulder in a
moment, but was afraid of her poor old bones, and treated her as if she
had been a fragile China tea-cup of great value.

Next moment he was out on the escape, and reached the ground amid
ringing cheers. He carried her at once to the nearest place of safety,
and, committing her to the care of Mrs White, rushed back to the scene
of conflagration just as they were about to remove the escape.

"Stop!" shouted the Captain, springing on it.

"There's nobody else up, is there?" cried a fireman, as the Captain ran
up.

"No, nobody."

"Come down then, directly," roared the fireman, "the escape is wanted
elsewhere. Come down, I say, or we'll leave you."

"You're welcome to leave me," roared the Captain, as he stepped into the
window, "only hold your noise, an' mind your own business."

With a mingled feeling of amusement and indignation they hurried away
with the escape. It had been urgently wanted to reach a commanding
position whence to assail the fire. The order to send it was
peremptory, so the Captain was left in his uncomfortable situation, with
the smoke increasing around him, and the fire roaring underneath.

The actions of our seaman were now curious as well as prompt. Taking a
blanket from his old friend's bed, he spread it below the chimney-piece,
and in a remarkably short tim