rather noisy.
Billikins had seen Mrs. Jones go out with a basket some time ago, so he
knew that they were all alone. Suddenly there was a great crash, a sound
of breaking glass, and then wild screams of distress, which seemed to
come from upstairs.

Billikins rushed out.

Two Jones children were flying wildly downstairs, while a third followed
more slowly, crying and sobbing.

'What _is_ the matter?' asked Billikins.

'Oh, oh, we have upset the lamp!' sobbed little Lizzie Jones. 'The rooms
is on fire, it's all ablaze! What shall I do? What shall I do? I am so
frightened!'

'Where's the baby?' gasped Billikins. He knew there was a Jones baby--a
new and tiny one.

'Oh, I don't know! I don't know!' sobbed Lizzie. 'In the cradle, I
think.'

Billikins simply tore upstairs. A great puff of smoke came out on the
landing from the Jones's door, and nearly choked him. For an instant he
hesitated; then he seemed to hear his mother's voice----

'Remember, Billikins, you are a soldier's son; you must never run away
from danger, always face it.'

He rushed across the room, half-blinded by smoke, feeling the flames
scorch him, he reached the cradle. The baby was in it. Already the
flames were beginning to lick the sides. With a strong effort he lifted
the baby, feeling the flames scorch his arms as he did so. Oh, the heat
and the smoke that were stifling him! Would he _ever_ reach the door? He
staggered, and nearly fell.

'A soldier's son, a soldier's son,' seemed to ring in his ears. He
staggered forward and reached the landing, to be caught in the arms of a
splendid man in a brass helmet. And then all grew dark, and he knew no
more.

When he woke he was lying on a strange bed, in a strange place; his head
was bandaged all over the top, and his arms were all bandaged, too. He
felt very weak.

'Where--am--I?' he said, feebly, and some one, in a white cap and a
large white apron, came to the bedside and bent over him.
'Where--is--Mother?' said Billikins. 'And--who--are--you?'

'Mother will be here soon, and I am Nurse Katherine,' said a sweet
voice, and a soft, cool hand was laid on Billikins' forehead.

He smiled gratefully, and then from sheer exhaustion he fell asleep.

When he woke again Mother was sitting by the bed, talking to Nurse
Katherine.

'Yes, going on nicely,' he heard Nurse say. And--and--_who_ was that
sitting by the other side of the bed? A tall, bearded figure----

'Father!' cried Billikins, j