Filling his lungs with fresh air, he turned into the blinding smoke again, and speedily reappeared at the window with another of the girls. John was not yet at the bottom; he placed her with her head outside the window, and was back with the eldest girl by the time Wilkes was up again. He handed her to him, and then, taking the other, stepped out on to the ladder and followed Wilkes down.
"Brave lad!" the gentleman said, patting him on the shoulder. "Are there any more of them?"
"One more—a woman, sir. Do you go up, John. I will follow, for I doubt whether I can lift her by myself."
He followed Wilkes closely up the ladder. There was a red glow now in the smoke. Flames were bursting through the door. John was waiting at the window.
"Which way, lad? There is no seeing one's hand in the smoke."
"Just in front, John, not six feet away. Hold your breath."
They dashed forward together, seized the woman between them, and, dragging her to the window, placed her head and shoulders on the sill.
"You go first, John. She is too heavy for me," Cyril gasped.
John stumbled out, half suffocated, while Cyril thrust his head as far as he could outside the window.
"That is it, John; you take hold of her shoulder, and I will help you get her on to your back."