Fighting the Flames

by R. M. Ballantyne

  CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.

  A FIREMAN'S LIFE.

  The clocks were striking nine when Frank issued from Miss Tippet'sdwelling and walked briskly away. On turning a corner he came upon oneof the numerous fire-escapes that nightly rear their tall heads againstthe houses all over London, in a somewhat rampant way, as though theyknew of the fires that were about to take place, and, like mettlesomewar-horses, were anxious to rush into action without delay.

  On the pavement, close by the escape, stood a small sentry-box, and themoment Frank came in sight of it he remembered that it was the nocturnalhabitation of his friend Conductor Samuel Forest. Sam himself wasleaning his arms on the lower half of his divided door, and gazingcontemplatively along the street.

  "Well, Sam, what news?" inquired Frank as he came up.

  "That you, Willders?" said Sam, a quiet smile of recognition playing onhis good-humoured features. "I thought it must be the giant they'reexhibitin' in Saint James's Hall just now, takin' a stroll at night toescape the boys. Why, when do you mean to stop growing?"

  "I don't mean to interfere with Nature at all," replied Frank; "and Ibelieve the world will be big enough to hold me, whatever size I growto."

  "Well, what's the news?" inquired Sam, emerging from his narrowresidence, and proving in the act, that, though not quite so tall as hisfriend, he was one who required a pretty fair share of room in the worldfor himself.

  "Nothing particular," said Frank, leaning against the escape; "only achimney and a cut-away affair last night, and a false alarm and afirst-floor burnt out the day before."

  "How's Thompson?" asked Forest.

  "Poorly, I fear," said Frank, with a shake of his head. "The sprainedankle he got when he fell off the folding-board is getting well, but theinjury to his spine from the engine is more serious."

  "Ah! poor fellow!" said Forest, "he's just a little too reckless. Howcame he by the sprain?"

  "It was in the basement of a bookbinder's in Littleton Street," saidFrank, lighting a cigar. "We got the call about 11 p.m., and on gettingthere found three engines at work. Mr Braidwood ordered our fellows togo down into the basement. It was very dark, and so thick of smoke thatI couldn't see half-an-inch before my nose. We broke through thewindows, and found ourselves ankle-deep in water. The engines had beenat work flooding the place for some time, and there was more water thanwe expected; but we had got on the folding-boards without knowing it,an' before we knew where we were, down went Thompson into water fourfeet deep. I think myself some of the water-pipes had burst. He rosegasping, and I caught him by the collar and hauled him out. It was intrying to recover himself when he fell that he got the sprain. You'veheard how he came by the other mishap?"

  "Yes, it was gallopin' down Ludgate Hill, wasn't it?"

  "Ay; the engine went over a barrow, and the jolt threw him off, andbefore he got up it was on him. By good fortune it did not go over him;it only bruised his back; but it's worse than we thought it would be, Ifear."

  "Ah! one never knows," said Forest gravely. "There's one man Jackson,now, only two weeks ago he was up in a third floor in Lambeth, and hadbrought down two women and a child, and was in the back-rooms gropingfor more, when the floor above gave way and came down on him. We allthought he was done for, but some of the beams had got jammed, and notfive minutes after he steps out of a window all right--only a scratch ortwo, not worth mentioning; yet that same man fell down a flight ofstairs at the same fire, with a boy on his shoulder, and sprained hisankle so bad that he's bin laid up for three weeks; but he saved theboy."

  "Ah! it was worth the sprain," said Frank.

  "It was," responded Forest.

  "Well, good-night," said Frank, resuming his walk.

  Samuel Forest responded "good-night," and then, getting into his box,sat down on its little seat, which was warranted not to hold two,trimmed the lamp that hung at his side, and, pulling out a book from acorner, began to peruse it.

  Sam was of a literary turn of mind. He read a great deal during hislonely watches, and used often to say that some of his happiest hourswere those spent in the dead of night in his sentry-box. His helmethung on a peg beside him. His hatchet was in his girdle, and a smallcap covered his head. Looking at him in his snug and brightlyilluminated little apartment, he appeared--by contrast with thesurrounding darkness--inexpressibly comfortable. Nevertheless, SamForest could have told you that appearances are often deceptive, andthat no matter how it looked, his box was but a cold habitation on abiting December night.

  While deeply immersed in his book, Sam heard the sound of approachingfootsteps, and pricked up his ears. He was a good judge of such sounds.As they drew near, he quietly took off his cap, put on his helmet, andstepped from his box. The street was very silent; and, perhaps, not oneof the hundreds of sleepers there thought of the solitary man who heldvigil, and was so alert to do them service, if the hour of theirextremity should come.

  But a cry arose that startled them--"Fire! fire!!"

  Another moment, and two men dashed round the corner, yelling at the topof their voices. Gasping for breath, they named the locality. Almostbefore they had done so, two policemen were on the spot, and in anothermoment the fire-escape was in motion. Instructed by the conductor, thetwo strangers and the policemen lent their willing aid. Before tenminutes had passed, the tall machine was run up to a burning house, thelower part of which was blazing; while, from the upper windows, franticcries were heard for help, and sundry figures in dishabille were seenwaving their arms. The escape was run up, and one after another theinmates were rescued from their perilous position.

  While this scene was enacting Frank was pursuing his way to the RegentStreet Fire Station; but news of the fire got there before him. Hearrived just in time to don his helmet and take his place on the engine.Away they went, and in ten minutes after the arrival of thefire-escape, they dashed up, almost running into an engine whichappeared from an opposite direction.

  The fire was blazing brightly by this time, and the whole neighbourhoodwas in a state of commotion and excitement.

  The two engines were got to work with as little delay as possible. Abody of police kept the gathering crowd back, and soon volumes of steambegan to mingle with the black smoke of the burning building. Thesuperintendent was early on the scene, and he directed Frank and anotherfireman to try to persuade the people in the adjoining houses to remainquiet, and not throw their furniture over the window; but this, some ofthem would not consent to do. It was plain that one or two were madwith fear and excitement; and as the ruling passion is strong in death,so it would seem to be by no means weak in the midst of danger fromfire; for many of them bent their whole energies to the saving of theirgoods and chattels--regardless of their lives.

  One stout old gentleman, in particular, was seen at a third-floorwindow, heaving out chairs and stools and books, and small tables, andclocks, and even quantities of crockery, with desperate energy, to thegreat danger of the onlookers, at whose feet the various articles fell,and were dashed to atoms!

  Frank darted up the stairs that led to this man's apartments, and burstin upon him.

  "Oh! come along, fireman; help me to save my things," he exclaimed, ashe struggled with superhuman efforts to thrust a table through thewindow, which was too small to permit its passage.

  "Stop, sir, are you mad?" cried Frank sternly.

  "Help me! help me! Oh! fireman, it will be all burned. Fire! fire!fire!!!"

  His voice rose into a fierce yell, as he strove in vain with the table.

  "You're quite safe," cried Frank, holding him; "_your_ house ain'talight, and the engines have got it almost under."

  But Frank spoke to deaf ears; so he coolly lifted the man in his arms,carried him kicking downstairs, and placed him in charge of a policeman.

  Just then, a cry was raised that there were two kegs of gunpowder in oneof the shops on the ground floor. The owner of the shop came up in afrantic state, and corroborated this statement.

>   "It'll blow the house to bits, sir," he said to Mr Braidwood.

  "Of course it will," remarked the latter in a quiet voice. "Come here,my man," he added, taking the shopkeeper apart from the crowd, andquestioning him closely.

  Immediately after, he ordered the engines to play on a particular partof the building.

  Just then, Frank came up to the superintendent.

  "There's gunpowder in the back-shop somewhere, I'm told, sir; shall I goin for it?"

  "No, Willders; you couldn't find it in the smoke. Take the branch, lad,and get up into that window above the door."

  Frank sprang to obey. At the same time, Mr Braidwood suddenly seized ahorse-cloth, and dashed in through the smoke. In a few seconds, hereturned with one of the kegs of powder in his arms. Giving it to oneof his men, he darted in again, and speedily re-issued with the secondkeg of powder, amid the frantic cheering of the crowd. Having donethis, he continued to superintend the men until the fire was got under,which was soon accomplished, having been attacked promptly and withgreat vigour soon after it broke out.

  "You needn't wait, Mr Dale," said Braidwood, going up to his foreman."It's all safe now. I'll keep one engine; but you and your lads get offto your beds as fast as ye can."

  Dale obeyed, and a few minutes after, the engine was gallopinghomewards.

  Willie Willders was in the station when it arrived, and so was FredAuberly, who, having accompanied Willie, had got into such aninteresting talk with the sub-engineer in charge, that he forgot time,and was still in animated conversation when the wheels were heard in thedistance.

  The three were out at the door in an instant.

  On came the engine, the horses' feet and the wheels crashing harshly inthe silent night. They came round the corner with a sharp swing.Either the driver had become careless, or he was very sleepy that night,for he dashed against an iron post that stood at the corner, and carriedoff two wheels. The engine went full thirty yards on the twooff-wheels, before it came to the ground, which it did at last with aterrific crash, throwing the firemen violently to the ground.

  The sub-engineer and Fred and Willie sprang forward in great alarm; butthe most of the men leaped up at once, and one or two of them laughed,as if to show that they had got no damage. But one of them lay extendedon the pavement. It needed not a second glance to tell that it wasFrank Willders.

  "Lift him gently, lads," said Dale, who was himself severely bruised.

  "Stop," exclaimed Frank in a low voice; "I've got no harm except to myleft leg. It's broken, I think. There's no use of lifting me till youget a cab. I'll go straight home, if--" He fainted as he spoke.

  "Run for a cab, Willie," said Fred Auberly.

  Willie was off in a moment. At the same instant, a messenger wasdespatched for Dr Offley, and in a short time after that, FrankWillders was lying on his mother's sofa, with his left leg broken belowthe knee.