t about entering without an invitation.

The screams continuing led him in the direction of the trouble, which
seemed to be on the second floor.

He passed a maid as he ran, who seemed to be fairly paralyzed with fear,
for she stood there like a post, with her hands clasped, and her lips
moving, as though calling on her patron saint to take care of her.

Dick chanced to be a boy who in an emergency acted first and then
considered afterwards; and it proved that he had need of this
characteristic just then if ever in his whole life.

He scented smoke even before he burst through the half open door of a
room and saw Mrs. Gibbs frantically slapping at the garments of her
daughter with a wet towel, while the window curtain and shade were
burning fiercely.

[Illustration: DICK SPRANG FORWARD.
_Dick the Bank Boy_ _Page 164_]

Dick sprang forward. He never once considered that this might be an
opportunity to distinguish himself; but only remembered that human life
and the home of his employer seemed in jeopardy.

CHAPTER XXI

GOOD WORDS ON EVERY SIDE

Tearing down the blazing curtains, of which there were only a few shreds
left, Dick trampled them underfoot until he had seen that there was
really no more danger to be feared from that source.

In extinguishing the fire he had used his hands as well as his feet, and
if he received a number of painful burns in doing this, at the time he
did not know it. Then turning swiftly he helped Mrs. Gibbs and Bessie
slap out the last vestige of smouldering fire in the ruined dress of the
girl.

Bessie was as pale as death, and her mother quite as bad; the latter
kept saying anxiously as she hugged her pretty daughter:

"Oh! are you sure you are not badly burned, dearest, are you positive?"

"Nothing to speak of, mother, only a trifle on my hands. Oh! what a
terrible accident, and what would have happened to the house and perhaps
all of us if Dick had not just happened to come," said Bessie, turning a
look on the boy that thrilled him to the heart, and which he could never
again forget.

"God bless him! It was a miracle that he chanced to be here. Harvey
said he might send some one to the house. How thankful I am for the
blessings that have been poured out upon us. Oh! how did it happen, my
child? You frightened me nearly out of my senses, and when I ran in here
to see you in flames it gave me the worst shock of my life. Tell me what
happened."

"It was th