"Oh, oh! is the place on fire?" cried the girl who had been sitting next to the oldest Rover, and she caught him by the arm.
"I don't know," he answered. "Something exploded in the operating room."
"Oh, let us get out!" came from one of the other girls.
"Yes, yes! I don't want to be burnt up!" wailed a third.
"Don't get excited," warned Jack. "I don't believe there is any great danger. There is no fire down here, and there seem to be plenty of doors."
"The fellow upstairs said to keep cool," put in Randy. "Maybe it won't amount to much after all."
Most of the lights had gone out, leaving the theater in almost total darkness.
"Come on for the side door," said Jack. "That's the nearest way out."
The smoke from above was now settling, and this caused many to cough, while it made seeing more difficult than ever. Jack pushed Fred ahead of him, holding one hand on his cousin's shoulder, while with the other hand he reached out and grasped the wrist of the girl who had been sitting beside him.
"You had better come this way," he said; "and bring your friends along."