A door stood open as if inviting the would-be rescuers to enter a room which Jack lost no time in doing, with Perk at his heels, both of them groping about amidst whirls of pungent smoke.
One of the two windows was open, which would account for the presence of that dense blanket and like a shot Jack jumped over to thrust out his head so as to ascertain whether his guess had been worth while.
He saw the greedy banks of flame shooting out, across and up, and felt it almost scorching his cheeks but just the same it was a satisfaction to discover he was exactly opposite the third window from the end of the burning building.
“This the right place?” Perk was booming in his ear for what with the roaring of the fire, the pumping of the steamers down below and the shouts of deeply interested crowds in every quarter, the clamor was indeed something fierce and impressive, stirring the blood in their veins and causing their hearts to beat wildly.
“Yes—that window right across this gap, Perk, is the one we picked out!”
“Je-ru-sa-lem crickets! I kinder guess I c’n make the riffle!”
Jack managed to catch hold of the reckless fellow as he was in the act of clambering up on the sill of the window, undoubtedly with the full intention of making a desperate attempt to jump across, to the one from which the smoke was pouring forth.
“Don’t think of trying it—a crazy idea—one chance in ten you’d get across without falling!” he shouted in the ear of the struggling one.
“Gosh! let me make the try, partner—sure I c’n do such a little stunt okay—let off, won’t you, Jack?” pleaded Perk, but the other only tightened his grip.
“Even if you did manage to hang on and climb inside, what good would it do—how get the woman and child across the gap?” Jack roared, feeling that his comrade was losing all the sense he ever had.