forward with an exclamation of earnest
thankfulness, and unrolled the blanket.

"Not hurt! No, thank God. Lift her carefully now. To the same
house.--And who are you?" he added, turning and looking full at me as I
leaned in a dazed condition on the fireman's shoulder. I heard the
question and saw the speaker, but could not reply.

"This is the gen'leman as saved two o' the child'n an' the young lady,"
said the tall fireman, whom I recognised as the one into whose bosom I
had plunged on the upper floor.

"Ay, an' he's the gen'leman," said another fireman, "who shoved your
missus, sir, into my arms, w'en she was bent on runnin' up-stairs."

"Is this so?" said the little gentleman, stepping forward and grasping
my hand.

Still I could not speak. I felt as if the whole affair were a dream,
and looked on and listened with a vacant smile.

Just at that moment a long, melancholy wail rose above the roaring of
the fire and clanking of the engines.

The cry restored me at once.

"Dumps! my doggie!" I exclaimed; and, bursting through the crowd,
rushed towards the now furiously-burning house, but strong hands
restrained me.

"What dog is it?" asked the elderly gentleman. A man, drenched,
blackened, and bloodstained, whom I had not before observed, here said--

"A noo dog, sir, Dumps by name, come to us this wery day. We putt 'im
in the scullery for the night."

Again I made a desperate effort to return to the burning house, but was
restrained as before.

"All right, sir," whispered a fireman in a confidential tone, "I know
the scullery. The fire ain't got down there yet. Your dog can only
have bin damaged by water as yet. I'll save 'im sir, never fear."

He went off with a quiet little nod that did much to comfort me.
Meanwhile the elderly gentleman sought to induce me to leave the place
and obtain refreshment in the house of a friendly neighbour, who had
taken in his family.

"You need rest, my dear sir," he said; "come, I must take you in hand.
You have rendered me a service which I can never repay. What?
Obstinate! Do you know that I am a doctor, sir, and must be obeyed?"

I smiled, but refused to move until the fate of Dumps was ascertained.

Presently the fireman returned with my doggie in his arms.

Poor Dumps! He was a pitiable sight. Tons of hot water had been
pouring on his devoted head, and his shaggy, shapeless coat was so
plastered to his long, little body, that he looked more like