“Not much you won’t—that’s my job I’m tellin’ you partner!” the other insisted, pushing Jack aside.
“But—I’m younger than you, Perk, spryer too—it ought to be my game, don’t you see?”
“The devil you are!” whooped the one who would not be denied. “I’m stronger an’ tougher’n you ever be, boy—an’ I saw ’em first, too! Let me have my way, please, partner, won’t you?”
Jack, realizing that it would be the utmost folly for them to keep on disputing in this fashion while the very seconds were so valuable when human lives were in jeopardy, gave up the contention.
“All right, Perk, you win, but I’ll go next time, remember. Make up your mind I’ll keep the boards close together—be as easy as you can when crossing. Now, go to it!”
Already Perk was out on the strange bridge on hands and knees, crawling toward the opposite window while Jack, gripping the ends of the two boards with all his strength, held them steady. It was a tense moment and one not soon to be forgotten.
By this time it seemed that two of the firemen down below holding the nozzle of a hose and sending a stream of water up to the roof of the doomed tenement building had discovered what was being done, for they raised their hoarse voices to applaud the daring bridge creeper. It was all in the line of their own daily work and they surely could appreciate the venturesome act at its full value.
Jack had a dread lest they change the direction of the stream, hoping thus to sprinkle the climber and render him immune to that heat which they must know would be almost unbearable so close to those darting billows of fire but fortunately they did nothing of the sort, doubtless realizing how frail that mockery of a bridge must be and how the shock of a volume of water might cause it to break away.
A few seconds of dreadful suspense and then Perk vanished from view, having passed into the room through the third window from the end of the tenement. Jack almost ceased breathing, so thrilled was he lest that might be the last glimpse he would ever have of his pal.