e pulled down, without damaging, every
object on the wall and threw it into the blanket. He then added to the
heap the Chinese lantern, the Turkish scimitar, the New Zealand club,
the Eastern shield, the ornamented dagger, the worsted work sampler, the
sou'-wester, the oiled coat, the telescope, the framed sheet of the
flags of all nations, and the small portrait of the sea-captain in his
"go-to-meetin'" clothes; also the big Bible and a very small box, which
latter contained Mrs Roby's limited wardrobe. He tied all up in a
tight bundle. A coil of rope hung on a peg on the wall. The bundle was
fastened to the end of it and lowered to the ground, amid a fire of
remarks from the crowd, which were rather caustic and humorous than
complimentary.

"Gillie," shouted the Captain, "cast off the rope, lad, and look well
after the property."

"Ay, ay, Cappen," replied the youth, taking up a thick cart-pin, or
something of the sort, that lay near, and mounting guard.

There was another laugh, from crowd and firemen, at the nautical brevity
and promptitude of Gillie.

At every large fire in London there may be seen a few firemen standing
about in what an ignorant spectator might imagine to be easy
indifference and idleness, but these men are not idlers. They are
resting. The men who first arrive at a fire go into action with the
utmost vigour, and toil until their powers are nearly--sometimes quite--
exhausted. As time passes fresh men are continually arriving from the
more distant stations. These go into action as they come up, thus
relieving the others, who stand aloof for a time looking on, or doing
easy work, and recruiting their energies. It was these men who watched
the Captain's proceedings with much amusement while their comrades were
doing battle with the foe.

Presently the Captain reappeared at the window and lowered a huge
sea-chest. A third time he appeared with the model of a full-rigged
ship in his hand. This time he let the end of the rope down, and then
getting over the window, slid easily to the ground.

"You're uncommon careful o' your property," exclaimed one of the
onlookers, with a broad grin.

"'Taint all _my_ property, lad," replied the Captain, with a
good-humoured nod, "most of it is a poor old 'ooman's belongings."

So saying, he got a man to carry his sea-chest, himself shouldered the
bundle, Gillie was intrusted with the full-rigged model, and thus laden
they left the scene followed