“Bully! he’s safe, all right!” exclaimed Leslie.
Tilly gave a scream when she saw Dick let her little darling drop; but on discovering that the child was safe, had once more shown that she was fully aroused to the occasion. She assisted Dick to fasten one end of some knotted sheets around her body under the arms, and was even in the act of clambering through the window, meaning to allow the boys to lower her, when Leslie gave a whoop.
“There they come with the ladder, Dick! We go down as easy as falling off a log, after all!”
CHAPTER XIX
HURRYING MATTERS ALONG
“It’s coming just in time!” Dick was telling himself, when he saw what rapid headway the flames were making around that side of the house.
A delay of five minutes might have imperiled their chances for escape. And on that account, Dick was glad to see some of the firemen rushing a ladder straight toward the window, with a pack of excited people following at their heels, eager to observe what was going on.
When the ladder was placed, Dick instantly clambered out, and upon it. He did not mean that any of the firemen should have the credit for rescuing Mrs. Nocker after he and his chum had gone as far as they had.
“Help her out, Leslie,” he shouted to the other; “and then you come along too.”
Tilly was still frightened by all these exciting conditions, but she had seen her darling saved from the flames, and was ready to do whatever she was told. So with the help of both the boys, she soon had her feet planted on a rung of the ladder, and had commenced the descent.
Loud shouts of approval arose from the spectators, who by now had recognized Dick and his companion.