officer shouted. "Let us make a rush
at the scoundrels, and fight our way to the door. It's our only
chance."

"Wait a moment," Jack said, a thought striking him. Stooping down
behind the others, he pulled out a matchbox from his pocket, struck a
light, and applied it to the muslin curtains which hung before the
window. In a moment a broad sheet of flame leaped up. The Greeks
uttered a shout of terror and surprise.

"Now!" Jack shouted. "All together."

In a moment the five dashed down the table, and flung themselves upon
the Greeks. These, taken by surprise, and paralyzed by the great sheet
of flame which was already licking the wooden ceiling, recoiled. Some
were cut down as they stood. Others were hurled aside. Two or three
fell before the dirks of the midshipmen, and in a few seconds the
little party had burst through the crowd of their assailants, and had
gained the door of the room. Here the Englishman and one of the French
officers turned and made a stand, in order to give the midshipmen time
to assist their badly-wounded comrade down the narrow stairs, and to
open the door of the house. As they flung this open, Jack shouted up
that the way was free, and then, half carrying the wounded Frenchman,
they hurried down the street, uttering shouts for assistance. The
lattice work of the window had already caught fire, and a sheet of
flame lit up the street. Before they had gone fifty yards, they heard
a noise behind them, as the two officers, followed by the Greeks,
issued from the house.

Fortunately, at this moment a party of English officers, who had been
dining at the general's, ran up at full speed, attracted by the shouts
of the boys and the glare of fire. Upon seeing this accession of
strength, the Greeks at once desisted from the attack, and made off.
By this time the windows of the various houses were opening, and
shouts of affright arose at the sight of the conflagration; for the
houses were, for the most part, constructed of wood, and, once begun,
there was no saying where a fire would end.

"What is all this about, gentlemen?" one of the officers, a colonel,
asked. "Give me your names, for there must be an inquiry into the
matter. I see you are all wounded, and 'tis best to get back to camp
at once. I fear this will be a serious matter."

In five minutes the street was full of people, and the flames had
obtained entire possession of the house, and were rushing high into
the air. The wind was blowing