City man, shaking me warmly
by the hand.

"You have acted with admirable promptitude--which is most important at a
fire--and they tell me that the header you took into the escape, with
Miss Blythe in your arms, was the finest acrobatic feat that has been
seen off the stage."

"I say, Dobson, where have you stowed my wife and the children? I want
to introduce him to them."

"In the dining-room," returned the City man. "You see, I thought it
would be more agreeable that they should be all together until their
nerves are calmed, so I had mattresses, blankets, etcetera, brought
down. Being a bachelor, as you know, I could do nothing more than place
the wardrobes of my domestics at the disposal of the ladies. The things
are not, indeed, a very good fit, but--this way, Mr Mellon."

The City man, who was tall and handsome, ushered his guests into what he
styled his hospital, and there, ranged in a row along the wall, were
five shakedowns, with a child on each. Seldom have I beheld a finer
sight than the sparkling lustre of their ten still glaring eyes! Two
pleasant young domestics were engaged in feeding the smaller ones with
jam and pudding. We arrange the words advisedly, because the jam was,
out of all proportion, too much for the pudding. The elder children
were feeding themselves with the same materials, and in the same
relative proportions. Mrs McTougall, in a blue cotton gown with white
spots, which belonged to the housemaid, reclined on a sofa; she was
deadly pale, and the expression of horror was not quite removed from her
countenance.

Beside her, administering restoratives, sat Miss Blythe, in a chintz
dress belonging to the cook, which was ridiculously too large for her.
She was dishevelled and flushed, and looked so pleasantly anxious about
Mrs McTougall that I almost forgave her having robbed me of my doggie.

"Miss Blythe, your deliverer!" cried the little doctor, who seemed to
delight in blowing my trumpet with the loudest possible blast; "my dear,
your preserver!"

I bowed in some confusion, and stammered something incoherently. Mrs
McTougall said something else, languidly, and Miss Blythe rose and held
out her hand with a pleasant smile.

"Well, if this isn't one of the very jolliest larks I ever had!"
exclaimed Master Harry from his corner, between two enormous spoonfuls.

"Hah!" exclaimed Master Jack.

He could say no more. He was too busy!

We all laughed, and, much to my relief, g