"It's only two of my wax-dolls tumbled off the shelf," he said on
returning.

An exclamation of horror escaped him, for he saw that the heap of
shavings had been set on fire during his momentary absence, and Gorman
stood watching them with a demoniacal grin.

Boone was struck dumb. He could not move or speak. He made a feeble
effort to stretch out his hands as if to extinguish the fire, but Gorman
seized him in his powerful grasp and held him fast. In a few seconds
the flames were leaping up the walls, and the room was so full of smoke
that they were driven into the front shop.

"Now, then," said Gorman in a fierce whisper, "your _only_ chance is to
act out your part as wisely as you can. Shout _fire_! now till you're
black in the face--fire! _Fire_!! FIRE!!!"

David Boone obeyed with all his might, and, when Gorman released him,
ran back into the parlour to try to extinguish the flames, but he was
driven back again, scorched and half-choked, while Gorman ran off at
full speed to the nearest station, gave the alarm, received the shilling
reward for being first to give the call, and then went leisurely home to
bed.

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT.

AT THE POST OF DUTY.

Fire! There is something appalling in the cry to most ears; something
deadly in the sound; something that tells of imminent danger and urgent
haste. After David Boone's first alarm was given, other voices took it
up; passers-by became suddenly wild, darted about spasmodically and
shouted it; late sitters-up flung open their windows and proclaimed it;
sleepers awoke crying, "What! where?" and, huddling on their clothes,
rushed out to look at it; little boys yelled it; frantic females
screamed it, and in a few minutes the hubbub in Poorthing Lane swelled
into a steady roar.

Among the sound sleepers in that region was Miss Deemas. The fair head
of that lady reposed on its soft pillow all unconscious of the fact that
she was even then being gently smoked before being roasted alive.

Miss Tippet, on the very first note of alarm, bounced out of bed with an
emphatic "There!" which was meant to announce the triumphant fulfilment
of an old prophecy which she had been in the habit of making for some
time past; namely, that Matty Merryon would certainly set the house on
fire if she did not take care!

The energy with which Miss Tippet sprang to the floor and exclaimed
"There!" caused Emma Ward to open her eyes to the utmost possible
extent, and