II
TRAPPED BY THE FLAMES
Jack seemed perfectly willing to accompany his chum, even if it did puta damper on their supper. Possibly he was like the vast majority ofAmerican youngsters in his youth, and could never resist the lure of afire.
Accordingly they hurried down to the lower floor and dashed outside.
"Which way now, partner?" gasped Perk who was a bit short of wind aftermaking that rush downstairs, not waiting to use the elevator. "I don'tsee any glow in the sky to tell where the blaze c'n be."
"Follow the crowd--that's our only cue, Perk," Jack hastened to say."Listen to all that row--must be a fire engine heading to the spot;ought to set us right, I reckon."
"Sure thing, Boss an' here she comes a rushin' along like an expresstrain--no hosses though, these days which knocks a whole lot o' thepicture silly. On your way, John Jacob, I'm with you!"
They ran like deer, side by side. Others were streaming ahead, everybodydisplaying the utmost zeal to get to the fire before the conflagrationwas smothered by the streams of water turned on it.
Perk was in his glory--this sort of thing appealed to his nature as apond would to a flock of thirsty ducks. Only for his lack of wind hemight have indulged in a few cowboy whoops as he tore up one street anddown another, touching elbows with his pard and eagerly straining hiseyes in the hope of presently detecting a gust of smoke that wouldproclaim their arrival at the scene of operations.
"Thar she blows!" Perk suddenly gasped, "see that black smudge blowin'in from a side street ol' hoss? Jest one more burst an' we'll be Johnnyon the spot! Wow! ain't this glorious sport though?"
Jack made no answer, since there was nothing to say and he needed allhis breath to keep going, not yet having caught his second wind.
Already a large crowd had gathered and was milling this way and that,trying in every way possible to catch a better view of the house thatwas the object of all these activities. Several engines had arrived andwere making a great noise as they began to throw streams of water on theimperiled building as well as its near neighbors that would soon be indanger should the fire get a better start.
"Whee! smoke aplenty but so far I don't lamp any fire," Perk was sayingin disjointed fragments as he and Jack stopped running and commenced tomake their way through gaps in the moving crowds.
"A four-story frame building," observed Jack as though that fact grippedhis attention first of all, "and looks like it might be a tenement inthe bargain."
"I kinder guess you're 'bout right there, partner." Perk chimed in. "Seethe women and kids huddled up over yonder, some o' 'em holdin' bundleso' stuff they've grabbed up when they hurried to get out! Ain't that toobad, though--the poor things, to git burned out o' their homes."
It was a picture well calculated to wring the heart of a softy likePerk. Apparently all of the tenants had managed to get clear of thesmoke-filled halls for the police officers standing guard at the exitwere preventing any of the wildly excited women from rushing back intothe building, doubtless with the intention of saving some belovedarticle which had a value in their eyes far in excess of its intrinsicone. Although they fought desperately to push past, the stern guardiansof the law stood between and held them back, as if acting under thebelief that such an act would be sheer suicide with all that dense smokefilling the halls and stairways.
"There, I saw a flash of flame jest then, Jack!" suddenly ejaculatedPerk and if there was a little tinge of satisfaction in his voice it washardly to be wondered at, the old boyish spirit rising up superior tohis feeling of sympathy for the unfortunate families thus dispossessedof their humble homes.
Jack himself had noted the fact, although he made no remark, only shookhis head sadly as if recognizing the fact that despite the fight put upby the fire laddies the frame building was very likely doomed.
They stood there and watched operations for some little time meanwhileother engines had come up, attached their hose to convenient hydrantsand added fresh streams to those already drenching the buildings.
"Hot ziggetty dog! this here is gettin' some monotonous, partner," Perkfinally remarked, "mebbe after all we'd show good sense by hikin' backto the hotel and tacklin' that grub."
"Don't be in such a big hurry, buddy," objected the other who usuallydid prove to be some sticker, as Perk often observed, "since we've goneand made the run we ought to see a bit more of the fire. Supper willkeep and besides, you're likely to have a bigger vacuum to be filled.What say to taking a turn around and getting a view from anotherquarter?"
"That ain't a bad idea boy, let's get a move on," agreed Perk who alwaysliked a change of base when it promised further novelty.
"Come this way then," Jack told him, starting to the left, "the crowdthins out off yonder, and we'll be able to push through much easier.They still keep on coming though; men, women and lots of children who'dbe better off at home I reckon still, what would you have? Chances arethe average kid is just as wild to run with the fire engine as when wewent into action!"
"Seems like it," chuckled Perk, grinning amiably at a bunch ofhalf-grown lads who had just come up and were staring goggle-eyed at thered streaks of leaping fire that appeared frequently amidst all thedense smoke.
Jack had been right in choosing to take the left turn, for theypresently had everything to themselves. Evidently the other side of thebuilding presented the most picturesque part of the conflagration, forhardly a straggler was met as they pursued their way.
"Here's the rear of the tenement," Jack remarked in a loud voice for theassembled steamers were kicking up so much noise that it was not easy tomake himself heard. "See, they're trying to wet down the building thatbacks up so close to the one that's afire. It's a four-story one at thatand luckily built of brick, which may save it from catching fire."
There seemed to be a rear entrance for a cop was standing guard there,apparently to keep any frantic tenant from rushing inside in the madhope of rescuing some cherished object that had been forgotten in thefrantic dash from the building earlier in the evening.
Flames were now coming out of several windows in the upper part of thedoomed structure. On seeing this Jack lost all hope of the house beingsaved through the heroic efforts of the striving firemen.
"It's bound to go, Perk," he remarked, "I'm sorry for those poorfamilies that stand to lose everything they've got in the wide world.Such as they never have a red cent of fire insurance. Look at that burstof flame will you? Small chance anybody'd have if they were unfortunateenough to get trapped up there!"
"Ugh! don't mention it, partner!" cried the shocked Perk, his gaze fixedon the red tongues that kept flickering out of the upper windows likeangry demons. "Many a time I've dreamed I was in a fire-trap like thishere, an' had to slide down the water-pipe with greedy fingers like themflames up there settin' my clothes afire, singein' my hair and eyebrowsan' nigh chokin' me in the bargain. I'll dream o' this for a month o'Sundays but ain't it a thrillin' sight though?"
That was just like honest-hearted Perk--filled with pity for those whostood to lose all their scanty earthly possessions, yet fascinated andduly thrilled by the fire itself and the whole surrounding panorama.
A minute afterwards Perk burst out in most intense excitement, grippinghis chum's arm with a strained clutch as he cried:
"Je-ru-sa-lem crickets! now ain't that a danged shame though?"
"What do you mean buddy?" demanded Jack, also thrilled.
"Up yonder at that third-story window where the smoke's comin' out inbig whoops--I certain sure did see a poor woman reach out, wringin' herhands like she was hopin' they started to set the ladders up--then shefell back again in the smoke--oh! Jack, she's goin' to be smothered an'burned to a crisp if nobody c'n get to her in time!"
The Sky Pilot's Great Chase; Or, Jack Ralston's Dead Stick Landing Page 2