At last! There was a shout from below, and a sudden rushing and noise, as the ever-increasing crowd poured round the corner.
"Fetch a ladder!"
"It's too short!"
"Tie two together!"
"There aren't two!"
"Tell them to jump!"
"No! No! They'd break their necks!"
"Someone go in and fetch 'em!"
"Impossible! The stairs are ablaze!"
"Does anyone hear the engine coming?"