then he added
with a smile: "Accidents will happen in the best of families, you
know," and at this both the girl and two of her companions giggled.

The photo-drama was presently finished and was followed by a
mirth-provoking comedy at which the entire audience laughed heartily.
Then came a reel of current events from various portions of the globe.

"Say, there's something worth looking at!" cried Fred, as a boat race
was flashed on the screen.

"Right you are," responded Jack. "Just see those fellows pull! Isn't it
grand?" he added enthusiastically. "I'd like to be in that shell
myself," and he turned suddenly, to catch the girl beside him casting
her eyes in his direction. She dropped them quickly, but her whole
manner showed that she, too, was interested, not only in the race, but
in what Jack had said. The cadets, of course, were in uniform, so the
girl knew they were from Colby Hall.

The reel of current events had almost come to a finish, and there was
intense silence as the picture showed the funeral of some well-known
man of the East, when there came a sudden splutter from the operator's
booth in the back gallery. This was followed by several flashes of
light and then a small explosion.

"What's that?"

"Some explosion!"

"The theater's on fire!"

"Let's get out of this!"

"That's right! I don't want to be burnt to death!"

Such were some of the exclamations which arose on the air. A panic had
seized the audience, and, like one person, they leaped to their feet
and began to fight to get out of the theater. In a twinkling there was
a crush in the aisles, and several people came close to being knocked
down and trampled upon.

"Where's my hat?"

"Get back there--don't crush these children!"

"See the smoke pouring in!"

"Open the side door, somebody!"

"Keep cool! Keep cool!" yelled somebody from the gallery. "There is no
fire! Keep cool!" But there was such a tumult below that scarcely
anybody paid attention to these words.

While many fought to get out the way they had come in, others stormed
towards the side doors of the playhouse. Meanwhile, an ill-smelling
cloud of smoke drifted through the auditorium.

With the first alarm the Rover boys had leaped to their feet, and
almost by instinct the others looked to Jack to see what he would do.

"Oh, oh! is the place on fire?" cried the girl who had been sitting
next to the oldest Rover, and she caught him by the arm.

"I don't know," he ans