a strong grip; the next he had pulled the child to him on the
roof.

"Safe! thank God!" he murmured, almost breathless with his exertions
and still more with his agitation.

Safe! As if to mock him a great tongue of flame shot from the window
from which rescuer and rescued had but now emerged, and a cry of
despair rose from Matthew below.

"Run for the library!" Blackett shouted, a thought suddenly striking
him. "Run, run!" And the boy pointed to a sort of wing, an addition to
the mansion recently made by the Squire, and devoted to his books and
the extensive and valuable collection of antiquities and curiosities
of which he was very proud. This building was connected with the body
of the house by only one small arched door, on the ground-floor.

George understood, and cautiously but rapidly edging his way along the
broad leaden gutter behind the parapet, he drew the girl, by this time
conscious once more, but dazed with fright, to the outlying portion of
the roof, which was as yet untouched by the flames. He peered over for
Matthew, but could see nothing of him.

For the moment the two were in no danger. But the flames were already
licking the portion of the library immediately adjoining the house
proper; soon the whole wing must be ablaze. The boy gazed wildly
around, to see if there was any means, however risky or even
desperate, by which escape might be made. He saw nothing but the
slender branches of a magnificent yew that grew in the retired garden
behind and close to the library. These boughs overtopped even the tall
building, and some of them overhung the roof a little. But the nearest
of them was ten feet above the heads of the two, and hopelessly out of
reach. Would that some great gust of wind would drive those branches
within clutching distance!

This tantalizing thought had hardly taken possession of George's mind
when his attention was attracted by shouts from below. Peering down he
was astonished to see Matthew rapidly climbing the yew. The same
thought had struck him also! Up the climber swarmed, higher and
higher. Then he began without hesitation to crawl along some of the
topmost branches that overhung the library roof. Outwards he crept,
embracing tightly half a dozen of the long thin boughs; they seemed
but little more than twigs.

"You'll be dashed to pieces!" Mary cried; "go back, go back!"

"Haven't you a rope anywhere?" George asked eagerly.

"Every rope and ladder locked up in the sta