llders.

Pushing his way to the place where Mr Auberly and the others lay, the
youth fell on his knees. "My father!" he exclaimed wildly.

"He's all right, lad," said Mr Braidwood, coming up at that moment, and
laying his hand kindly on the youth's shoulder; "he's only choked with
smoke, and will be better in a minute. Any more in the house?" he added
quickly.

Young Auberly leaped up with a shout.

"My sister! is she not saved? Are _all_ here?"

He waited not for a reply, but in another moment was on the fire-escape.

"After him, two of you," said Braidwood, turning to his men.

Two at once obeyed. In fact, they had leaped forward almost before the
brief command was uttered. One of these firemen was conspicuous for his
height and strength. He was first up the ladder. Close upon him
followed Baxmore with a lantern.

Nothing but smoke had yet reached the room into which young Auberly
entered, so that he instantly found himself in impenetrable darkness,
and was almost choked as well as blinded.

"Have a care, Frank; the floor must be about gone by this time," said
Baxmore, as he ran after his tall comrade.

The man whom he called Frank knew this. He also knew that it was not
likely any one had been left in the room from which the master of the
house had been rescued, and he thought it probable that his daughter
would occupy a room on the same floor with her father. Acting on this
supposition, and taking for granted that the room they were about to
enter was Mr Auberly's bedroom, the tall fireman dashed at once through
the smoke, and tumbled over the prostrate form of young Auberly.

"Look after him, Baxmore," he gasped, as he seized the lamp from his
comrade's hand, and darted across the room and out into the passage,
where he went crash against a door and burst it open. Here the smoke
was not so dense, so that he could breathe, though with difficulty.

One glance showed him where the bed was. He felt it. A female form was
lying on it. The light weight and the long hair which swept across his
face as he raised it gently but swiftly on his shoulder, told him that
it was that of a girl.

At that moment he heard a loud shout from the crowd, which was followed
by a crash. Dashing once more across the passage, he saw that a lurid
flame was piercing the smoke in the other room. The staircase he knew
was impassable; probably gone by that time; but he had not time to
think, so he drew the blanket ove