The fireworks consisted mainly of mines, Roman candles and red fire. There were a few pinwheels, but no rockets.
Wallace Hegner and Fanny Darling were together again. With her usual daring, the girl was touching off Roman candles and laughing merrily. She seemed to be enjoying herself thoroughly, but it seemed certain that she had avoided Frank since he had overheard her talking with Hegner the first of the evening.
The musicians played a lively air as the candles burned, the mines exploded, the pinwheels buzzed, and the red fire glared. Fanny Darling ran across the lawn swinging a Roman candle and letting the fireballs pop into the air. Hegner was close behind her, with a glowing stick of fire in either hand.
Suddenly there was a scream of terror, followed by a chorus of shrieks and hoarse cries. Then it was seen that Fanny’s dress was blazing.
The girls scattered and fled from her, while the boys stood still for the moment and stared at her stupidly. Hegner dropped both sticks of red fire, but fell back, calling for water.
Through the circle burst a youth who stripped off his coat as he ran. He leaped straight toward the imperiled girl, who was vainly trying to beat out the flames with her hands, a look of terror pitiful to see upon her face.
“Steady, Miss Darling!” called the voice of Frank Merriwell. “Don’t resist me and I will save you!”
He flung the coat about her, lifted her, dropped her upon the grass, knelt over her, rolled her, smothered the flames and beat them out with his hands.
It was all over in a moment. He had extinguished the fire before others could think to move. As they gathered around he lifted her to her feet, anxiously asking:
“Are you severely burned, Miss Darling? I sincerely hope you are not. I reached you as soon as possible.”