Chapter XVII: At the Fire

“The Brandon place!” echoed Dick, catching his breath as a sudden chill passed over him. “What if it should be, and little Billy there!”

Somehow neither of them seemed to give one thought to the old deacon. Indeed, possibly in all Cliffwood there could hardly have been found a single boy who would have cared a snap of his finger if Jed Nocker’s fine house went up in flame and smoke.

“Let’s get away!” suggested Leslie, hastily.

“I’m with you!” Dick snapped out, and with that both started at headlong speed, making in the direction of that bright and ever increasing light.

One good thing was that they would not have very far to run, for the Brandon place, as well as that of the deacon adjoining, was only a short distance from the modest home of the Horners.

Hardly had they started when they became aware of the fact that others besides themselves were heading toward the scene of the conflagration. Swiftly moving figures could be discovered in the half darkness, and all converging toward the same spot.

Sounds, too, began to be heard. Whenever that metallic clang started in Cliffwood, as the hammer was beaten on the suspended steel rim of a railway locomotive driving wheel, it aroused the most intense excitement.

People could be heard shouting across back fences, asking one another where the fire could be. Doubtless, the one thought in the minds of all was that with that rising north wind it would prove to be a bad night for a conflagration.

The alarm still continued to sound. Men came dashing out of houses wearing their enameled fire hats, and perhaps hastily drawing on their leather coats. The fire-fighting department of Cliffwood, like most towns of its size, was a volunteer one, the members serving as a duty they owed to the community.

“Faster, Dick!” gasped Leslie, as the two boys hastened along. “She’s bulging up like everything, don’t you see? And it’s sure enough that place!”

Dick knew that already, for he had the lay of the land well fixed in his mind. It meant that Billy, yes, and Billy’s little mother as well, might be in dire danger, for the cruel flames would be no respecter of persons.

So the boys ran at even a faster gait than before, if such a thing were possible. When, presently, they arrived at the gate of the Brandon place, it was to find that others were ahead of them. Quite a group of people could be seen in the grounds, staring at the spectacle presented by the burning house, exchanging all manner of comments, but really doing nothing to save life or property, from lack of a leader.

The first thing Dick did was to cast his eyes hastily around. He was, of course, looking for some sign of the handsome little chap and his mother, Tilly. When that sweeping look failed to find either of those in whose welfare he was so deeply interested, Dick again felt a coldness in the region of his heart.

A great shouting down the road announced that the fire laddies were coming on the run with the machine. They would be on hand in a few minutes, Dick realized, but at the same time it was evident that even seconds were precious, and might cost those in peril their lives.

Leslie gripped his arm just then.

“See there, isn’t that she, Dick?” he cried, huskily, for he was laboring under great excitement, and it was really a wonder he could speak at all.

“I don’t see her,” Dick replied, anxiously, as he scrutinized the little group at which his chum was pointing his finger.

“Oh! I didn’t mean Billy’s mother,” Leslie hastened to explain. “I meant the woman she has stopping with her to help with the work.”

Dick saw now, and was off like a flash, leaving his chum to follow at his heels. If any one would know about Billy and his mother, surely Mrs. Kelly should. She was trying to answer the numerous questions being showered upon her by those around; but since virtually no one knew that there had been a tenant in the Brandon house they could not realize the extreme gravity of the situation.

Dick pushed his way into the group. He seized hold of the excited woman’s arm, and there was something so like authority in the boy’s action that Mrs. Kelly stopped crying and turned toward him.

“Where are Billy and his mother?” demanded the boy.

The woman turned and pointed at the burning house, one end of which was by this time a mass of flames.

“In there, I’m half afraid,” she half screamed. “Oh! the pore little chappie and his swate mother will be kilt entirely I do be afraid!”

“What’s that?” demanded a hoarse voice just then, and half turning his head, Leslie saw the deacon standing there, his face white, and drawn as with a spasm of pain.

Possibly Dick knew the old man was at his elbow but he had no time just then to bother with him. With little Billy in deadly peril, the affairs of Deacon Nocker played a very small part in the boy’s mind.

Something must be done, and that without loss of time. Undoubtedly, the widow must be asleep in the burning mansion, quite unaware of the danger surrounding her; and of course Billy shared her peril.

Dick whirled on his chum. Well did he know that Leslie would stand back of him in the rash undertaking that he was now bent on accepting; for he had seen this comrade tested on many a previous occasion, and in every instance Leslie had proven as true as steel.

“We must make the try, if you’re ready to go in with me!” he cried, pointing to where the front door of the building stood invitingly open, the work-woman having evidently escaped by that means when she found the house afire.

“You bet I’m going to make the try!” Leslie assured him.

“Wait till the firemen get here, boys!” urged one woman, who possibly had boys of her own at home, and shuddered at the thought of their dashing into the doomed house, even though it were to save human life.

“It might be too late then,” snapped Dick. “Come on, Leslie. Wet your handkerchief in this bucket, and cover your nose with it as much as you can, for the smoke will be something terrible.”

That was a most sensible suggestion which Dick made. Even if they did not come into contact with the leaping flames, the smoke was thick enough to smother them.

Several of the men who had stood around doing nothing, upon seeing what the two daring boys meant to attempt, called out to them. Some applauded their schemes, while others told them they were foolish, because the chances were they would not only fail to accomplish anything but lose their own lives in the bargain.

“Let them alone, can’t you?” shouted the shrill voice of Deacon Nocker. “They are ten times braver than any one of you cowards; and they will save Billy yet, I know they will--they _must_, I tell you! Go on, boys, and God bless you!”

Neither Dick nor Leslie would soon forget that moment while they dabbled their handkerchiefs in the cold water contained in the pail, and then dashed headlong through the open door of the old Brandon house.

“Keep in touch with me!” Dick had called out over his shoulder; for the flames and the shouting people made such a racket by this time that one had to raise his voice in order to be heard.

Then they vanished from the gaze of the horrified group; and doubtless many of the onlookers firmly believed they would never again set eyes on the venturesome lads.

It was fortunate that Dick knew all about the interior of that house, thanks to his frequent visits. Had it been otherwise, he might have floundered around, and led his chum into a trap from which escape would have been difficult, if not impossible.

The smoke was very dense, so that seeing was a hard task. Through the billows of black vapor they could, however, catch glimpses of the darting flames that looked like red tongues licking up the woodwork of the doomed building.

Dick had no particular plan arranged, for the whole thing had come upon them so suddenly that there had been little time to do any thinking. He meant to get to where he expected to find the widow and her boy, perhaps unconscious in the smoke; and then rescue them in some manner, it might be by means of the windows.

Groping his way along the hall, Dick found himself at the foot of the stairs up which he and his companion must make their way, for the sleeping rooms were all on the second story.

The fire was dreadfully close. They could feel its burning heat upon their faces, and despite the ready handkerchiefs, the pungent smoke almost choked them. Nevertheless, Dick did not hesitate for even a fraction of a minute. Up those stairs they must rush, no matter if the fire had already seized upon the railing in places.