f No. 999 as the locomotive
approached Plympton, getting the siding semaphore, and removing them
before the smash-up had come about.

"Never!" shouted Fogg suddenly. "Let me tell you, Fairbanks--"

Before the speaker could finish the sentence Ralph seized his arm with
the startling words:

"Mr. Fogg, look--fire!"

Facing about, Lemuel Fogg uttered a frightful cry as he discerned what
had just attracted the notice of the young engineer. The Fogg house
was in flames.

When Ralph had first noticed the fiercely-burning heap of rubbish on
the Fogg premises, he had observed that it was dangerously near to the
house. It had ignited the dry light timber of the dwelling, the whole
rear part of which was now a mass of smoke and flames.

"My wife--my helpless wife and the little child!" burst from the lips
of the frantic fireman in a shrill, ringing scream.

Ralph joined him as he ran down the alley on a mad run. The great
sweat stood out on the bloodless face of the agonized husband and
father in knobs, his eyes wore a frenzied expression of suspense and
alarm.

"Save them! save them!" he shouted, as Ralph kept pace with him.

"Don't get excited, Mr. Fogg," spoke Ralph reassuringly. "We shall be
in time."

"But she cannot move--she is in the bedroom directly over the kitchen.
Oh, this is a judgment for all my wickedness!"

"Be a man," encouraged Ralph. "Here we are--let me help you."

"Up the back stairs!" cried Fogg. "They are nearest to her."

"No, no--you can never get up them," declared Ralph.

The side door of the house was open, showing a pair of stairs, but
they were all ablaze. Smoke and sparks poured up this natural funnel
fiercely. Ralph caught at the arm of his companion and tried to detain
him, but Fogg broke away from his grasp.

Ralph saw him disappear beyond the blazing barrier. He was about to
run around to the front of the house, when he heard a hoarse cry.
Driven back by the overpowering smoke, Fogg had stumbled. He fell
headlong down a half a dozen steps, his head struck the lower
platform, and he rolled out upon the gravel walk, stunned.

Ralph quickly dragged the man out of the range of the fire and upon
the grass. He tried to arouse Fogg, but was unsuccessful. There was no
time to lose. Seizing a half-filled bucket standing by the well near
by, Ralph deluged the head of the insensible fireman with its
contents. It did not revive him. Ralph sped to the front of the house,
ran up on the st