mother saith, the child may be scared at the
heat and the flames. And my lady has many valuables to be rescued,
too. It would be shame that they should perish in the flames if
these leap the street. We will take the boat and moor it at Cold
Harbour, and slip up by the side street out of the way of the smoke
and the heat. We can thus bring her and her goods with most safety
here. Marry that is well bethought! We will lose not an hour. One
cannot tell at what moment the fire may change its direction."

Reuben rose at once, and accompanied by two of the steadiest of the
shopmen, they prepared to carry out their plan of seeking to rescue
Lady Scrope and her valuables.

CHAPTER XVII. SCENES OF TERROR.

"Father! sweet father! thank Heaven thou art come! Methought we
should be burned alive in this terrible house. Methought perchance
all of you had been burned. O father! tell me, what is befalling?
It is like the last judgment, when all the world shall be consumed
with fervent heat!"

Dorcas, with a white face and panting breath, stood clinging to her
father's arm, as though she would never let it go. He soothed her
tenderly, striving to pacify her terrors, but it was plain that she
had been through some hours of terrible fear.

"My little bird, didst thou think we should leave thee to perish
here?" asked the father, half playfully, half reproachfully; "and
if so affrighted, why didst thou not fly home to thy nest? That, at
least, would have been easy."

"Ah, but I could not leave my lady when all besides had fled--even
the two old creatures who were never afraid of remaining when the
distemper was raging all around. She stands at the window watching
the flames devouring all else opposite, and it is hot enough there
well nigh to singe the hair on her head; but she laughs and
chuckles the while, and says the most horrible things. I cannot
bear to go anigh her; and yet I cannot leave her alone.

"O father, father! come and get her away. She seems like one made
without the power of fear. The more that others are affrighted, the
more she seems to rejoice!"

Dorcas and her father and brother were in the narrow entry upon
which the back door of the house opened. This alley led right down
to the river, where the boat was moored under the charge of the two
shopmen. It would be easy to carry down any valuables and load it
up, and then transport the intrepid old woman, when she had looked
her fill, and when she saw her