Suddenly a cry arose at the far end of the burning tenement; the end that could not longer be held back from the flames.
The three chums ran to where the cry sounded, and observed, leaning out of a second story window on the end of the house, an old man. Smoke poured from the window back of him, and behind him could be seen the ruddy flames, ever coming nearer.
“Another one they’ve forgotten,” cried Ned.
“Or else he hid away, or has been unconscious,” added Bob.
“They’ve got to get him soon!” exclaimed Jerry.
But the firemen, and there were none too many of them even with the whole department out, were busy elsewhere. Some were attending the nozzles, others were helping at the engines and some were still carrying to places of safety the women and children brought down from the front of the blazing structure.
“We’ve got to get him down!” cried Jerry.
“If we only had a ladder!” added Ned.
“Here’s one!” shouted Bob, and he pointed to a short one that had been thrown on the ground, evidently as of no use in reaching the women and children who were taken from the floor higher up.
“Will it reach?” asked Ned.