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 mad hope of rescuing some cherished object that had been forgotten in the frantic dash from the building earlier in the evening.
Flames were now coming out of several windows in the upper part of the doomed structure. On seeing this Jack lost all hope of the house being saved through the heroic efforts of the striving firemen.
“It’s bound to go, Perk,” he remarked, “I’m sorry for those poor families 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 burst of flame will you? Small chance anybody’d have if they were unfortunate enough to get trapped up there!”
“Ugh! don’t mention it, partner!” cried the shocked Perk, his gaze fixed on the red tongues that kept flickering out of the upper windows like angry demons. “Many a time I’ve dreamed I was in a fire-trap like this here, an’ had to slide down the water-pipe with greedy fingers like them flames up there settin’ my clothes afire, singein’ my hair and eyebrows an’ 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 who stood to lose all their scanty earthly possessions, yet fascinated and duly thrilled by the fire itself and the whole surrounding panorama.
A minute afterwards Perk burst out in most intense excitement, gripping his 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 in big whoops—I certain sure did see a poor woman reach out, wringin’ her hands like she was hopin’ they started to set the ladders up—then she fell 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!”