make a reply, he was prevented, for just
then the rolling of a drum attracted his attention, and there was a
murmur through the crowd that the lieutenant-governor was coming to see
what could be done towards suppressing the conflagration.

The soldiers presented arms, as half a dozen plainly-dressed gentlemen
walked towards the end of the line where Fred, Smith, and myself were
stationed. They did not stop until within a few feet of us, and from the
attention which was bestowed upon one man, I had no difficulty in
deciding which was the governor.

"God bless me!" exclaimed the gentleman I supposed to be the governor, a
rather small man, with gray hair, and, I judged, about sixty years of
age; "God bless me!" he repeated, wringing his hands as though washing
them, and gazing upon the fire, "what a dreadful conflagration."

"The fire is making great headway, your excellency," said one of the
gentlemen in the governor's suite.

"God bless me, so it is," replied the governor. "How careless of the
Jews to let their stores get on fire. They give me a great deal of
trouble."

"But shall we not do something towards suppressing the flames?" asked
the first speaker, with an impatient gesture.

"God bless me, what can I do?" cried the governor, peevishly.

"There are two small engines in the city--they might be brought here and
worked to advantage," urged the aide-de-camp, for such I judged him to
be.

"Yes, yes, I know; but, God bless me, they won't _suck_."

I saw the governor's suite vainly endeavoring to suppress their smiles,
and for a moment, such was their mirth, no further conversation ensued.

At length the aid said,--

"That difficulty can be overcome, your excellency, by pressing the water
carts into service, and letting them bring water from the river for the
engines to use. Much property can be saved, also, by dismissing the
soldiers to the barracks with their arms, and then letting them return,
and pass water in buckets. I assure your excellency that the police
force is amply sufficient to keep order without the troops."

"God bless me, I believe that you are right," cried the governor, "but I
don't like to set the soldiers at such work. They spoil their uniforms,
and then the government has to supply them with new clothing, and I am
blamed for it."

"Then let the engines be brought here, and I pledge you my word that I
will find men enough in the crowd to work them without the soldiers'
assistance!"