When Ty's head poked into view as through a curtain, for eddies of smoke were all around the scout, the child began to dance up and down, and clap her hands. At that moment Ty Collins came nearer to being a real hero in the eyes of a girl than ever before in all his life.
"Come closer!" he shouted, and as she did so, he continued: "Where did you say Bennie was, up here? Is this the room?"
"Yes, yes," she replied, nodding her head at the same time, as if in fear lest he might not hear her childish voice in the midst of so much noise, with women calling, and newcomers asking questions as they reached the scene.
"Where did you leave him?" demanded the intrepid rescuer.
"Over in the corner—the box on the floor—Bennie was naughty, and he had to be punished!" she cried at the top of her shrill voice.
Ty immediately disappeared, while his three chums below waited with astonishment written on their faces, not knowing what it all meant.
"Did you hear that, Elmer?" demanded Landy, plucking at the wet sleeve of the other. "She said the baby was in a box! Don't that beat the Dutch, though? Whatever could she have been thinking of to do such a thing?"
"It wath the thillieth ever!" declared Ted, "thtuffing a baby in a box jutht like he wath a rag doll!"
"Hold on and see," said Elmer, who must have had some sort of suspicion as to the true state of affairs.
All eyes were riveted on that window. Seconds passed as before, and the boys began to get nervous again because Ty failed to appear. Had he found the baby really smothered? Was he attempting to carry the poor little darling down the stairs through all that dreadful smoke?