For an instant the crowd was horror-struck. It seemed that the brave young chief, and the little girl, must perish. For it was next to impossible to pass through that sheet of flame unharmed. The mass of superheated air, generated by the varnishes1 and other material in the extension, was forcing the flame out from the window in the shape of a great fan. The ladder was beginning to blaze.
Bert paused and looked down to the ground. The distance was not too great for him to jump, had he been alone, but, with the child, it might mean that both would be seriously injured.
"Throw her to me!" yelled Mr. Needham, and, at that, several men stretched out their arms, ready to catch the burden. But Bert shook his head. He did not want to run any risk of anyone not catching2 the little one, for he would have to toss her, with considerable force, away from the building, to have her escape the flames.
Yet there seemed to be no other way. Oh, how he wished the new department had a life net! He made up his mind he would soon get one, if he came out of this situation alive.
But Vincent had seen his chum's peril3, and at once a daring plan came to him. The chemical stream from his engine, as well as that from the other, and the three water jets from the hand apparatus4, were still playing on the flames.
"This way!" yelled Vincent. "Use what chemicals you have left, and all the water you can pump on the fire in the extension. That'll keep the flames from the window long enough for him to get past." The others caught the idea at once, and the boys rushed with their lines of hose around to where Bert still stood on the ladder, that was now ablaze5 in several places.
With a hiss6 like that of an angry snake, the flames seemed to shrink back at the touch of the elements to which they were opposed. The fan of fire, shooting from the windows, appeared to die down, almost at once.
"Come on! Come on!" cried the crowd to Bert, and, seeing his chance, he climbed farther down the ladder. Just as he reached the place opposite the window, the flames once more shot out. But he ducked down, and a well-directed stream, from the hose attached to Cole's force-pump, sent a saving spray over the brave lad and the little girl. The fire on the ladder was quenched7, and, as that from the window was driven back, Bert made the rest of the descent in safety. Cole's pump had proved its worth.
A score of hands reached out to take the burden from Herbert, but he gently put them aside, and placed the little girl in her uncle's arms.
Then what a cheer there was for the brave young chief's act! But Bert had other things to do than listen to praises of himself.
"How are the engines, boys?" he asked.
"Pretty well run out," answered Vincent.
"Well, get ready to make some more solution. Shut down one engine, and fill the tank, and then do the same for the other. We'll fight this fire to a finish!"
This was done, and soon, with replenished8 tanks, the two pieces of apparatus were again in use. The old hand-engine, too, did its share, and so energetically did the young firemen attack the blaze, that at last the fire sullenly9 gave up.
"I think we've got it under control," said Bert, as he saw the flames beginning to die down. "If we don't have any more explosions, we'll be all right."
Fortunately there were no more, and, though the factory was badly damaged, the larger part of it was saved. But that was nothing compared to the satisfaction the members of the department felt over Bert's brave act.
In an hour more the last spark had been extinguished, and the chief gave orders for the engines to go back to quarters. It was the worst fire they had yet undertaken to fight, and the new engines had proved their efficiency in no uncertain manner. Little was talked of in town, the next day, but the fire and the sensational10 rescue.
As for Bert and his chums, they, too, had a fruitful subject for conversation. They had learned much from their experience at the box factory blaze, which was liable to stand them in good stead at future fires.
"I heard about you," remarked Mort Decker to Bert, when the next night he called at Cole's barn. "First thing you know you'll be getting offers from some big city department."
"Oh, I guess not. But how are things at the house of mystery? Have you discovered anything new?"
The two had walked out from the barn, to converse11 alone.
"I don't like the way things are going," replied the stenographer12. "Muchmore gave me several other deeds to copy to-day, and in some he had me change the descriptions and names. I don't like it. I'm sure, now, that he is a crook13."
"Can you do anything?"
"That's just what I was thinking about. I have an idea he has some person a prisoner on that top floor, whom he is holding there until that person does as he wants, in the matter of some property."
"If we could only get word to Mr. Stockton," said Bert, "he might call in the authorities."
"Yes, if we could, that would be the very thing. But I don't know how to do it. I wrote him a letter, and mailed it in the post-office, but a little later I saw it on Muchmore's table. He must get Mr. Stockton's mail, and forward it. And now I think Muchmore suspects me, because he probably opened that letter I wrote to his uncle. So we may as well take the bull by the horns, and do something."
"Yes; but what?"
Mort looked around to see that no one would overhear him.
"I'm going to make a try to get on that top floor," he said, "and I want you to help me."
"When are you going to do it?"
"To-night, in a little while. Muchmore is away, and there's nobody but the housekeeper14 there. We'll see who that mysterious prisoner is, who sends out typewritten messages asking for help. Will you come?"
"Sure. I don't have to stay here. It's my night off."
"Then come up to the Stockton mansion15 in about an hour. Go to the side door, knock three times, then a pause, then twice, and I'll know it's you, and let you in. We'll see if we can't solve the mystery."
About an hour after this conversation Bert knocked at the door of the big house as directed. The place seemed deserted16, and there was not a ray of light to be seen.
"I wonder if he's here, or if Muchmore found out what he was up to, and drove him out," thought Bert, as he waited for an answer. But in a few minutes the stenographer admitted him.
"Don't make any noise," he cautioned. "Mrs. Blarcum is in her room, but she has good hearing in spite of her age, and I think she is somehow mixed up with the mystery. Now we'll go to the top floor," and he took up a big poker17, which was on a chair in the side hall.
"What's that for?" asked Bert.
"We may have to smash down a door or two, or pry18 them open. This is the only thing I could find. Now come on."
They cautiously ascended19 the stairs. When they reached the top floor, they found a stout20 door barring their progress. Mort Decker tried to insert the point of the poker in the lock, to force it, but, finding he could not do this, he raised the heavy iron, to break the panels.
At the first blow there sounded from the other side of the portal a cry:
"Help! Help! Let me out!"
"Who are you? Why arc you in there?" asked Mort, pausing in his attack on the door.
Before he could distinguish the answer, if one was made, there sounded from behind the two rescuers, a woman's scream, and they turned to see Mrs. Blarcum rushing at them.
"Come away from there!" she cried. "Come away! Mr. Muchmore doesn't allow any one there!"
"I don't care what he allows!" retorted Mort. "We're going to get at the bottom of this mystery!"
Once more he rained a shower of blows on the door.
"Get away from there!" cried the old woman, rushing up, and grabbing the stenographer by the arm. "Help! Help!" she added. "Mr. Muchmore, he is breaking down the door to the secret corridor!"
Suddenly there sounded from below the rush of feet. Then came a startled cry.
"I'm coming!" some one shouted.
"Muchmore! It's Muchmore!" exclaimed Mort, pausing. "If he finds us here--"
"Let's stick it out!" urged Bert bravely. "We'll find out what this means!"
An instant later, Muchmore, his face distorted with anger, rushed upon them.
收听单词发音 |
1
varnishes
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| 清漆的面（尤指木器或金属制品上的）( varnish的名词复数 )； 光泽面； 罩光漆 | |
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2
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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apparatus
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| n.装置，器械；器具，设备 | |
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ablaze
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| adj.着火的，燃烧的；闪耀的，灯火辉煌的 | |
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hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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quenched
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| 解（渴）( quench的过去式和过去分词 )； 终止（某事物）； （用水）扑灭（火焰等）； 将（热物体）放入水中急速冷却 | |
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replenished
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| 补充( replenish的过去式和过去分词 )； 重新装满 | |
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9
sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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sensational
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| adj.使人感动的，非常好的，轰动的，耸人听闻的 | |
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converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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12
stenographer
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| n.速记员 | |
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13
crook
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| v.使弯曲；n.小偷，骗子，贼；弯曲(处) | |
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14
housekeeper
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| n.管理家务的主妇，女管家 | |
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15
mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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16
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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17
poker
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| n.扑克；vt.烙制 | |
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18
pry
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| vi.窥(刺)探，打听；vt.撬动(开，起) | |
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ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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