The flames flared suddenly. Heavy leaped back, stumbled over another girl, and went sprawling. The flames did not touch her, but they did ignite the curtain at the window.
There was a great squealing as the girls ran. Nobody dared tear down the blazing curtain, and the flames leaped higher and higher each instant.
Then one of the most frightened of the company jerked open the door, put her head out into the corridor, and shrieked "Fire!"
CHAPTER XXIV
ROBERTO FINDS HIS VOICE
That settled it! There was a full-fledged panic in that quartette room in an instant. It bade fair, too, to spread to the whole building.
Ruth, who had been busy distributing cakes before the accident, sprang to the open door, seized the girl who had yelled, and literally "yanked" her back into the room. Then she banged the door to and placed her back against it.
"Stop!" she cried, yet in a low voice. "Don't be foolish. It's only a little fire. We can put it out. Don't rouse the whole house and frighten everybody."