Barely able to hold his breath, gasping and gulping, the boy made his way to that narrow stairway, down its sinuous path, heard the groan again, and himself fell to the floor as he slipped on the steps.
The flames in the farther part of the basement were leaping and crackling, lighting the entire space. Mr. Allen was crawling along the floor, groaning and moaning, having tumbled through when the floor caved in.
CHAPTER VI
AN UGLY INTIMATION
Grabbing his father under the arms, Frank half carried, half supported him to the stairway, just as the chief came scrambling down.
They very soon brought the man into the open air. Everything was at a high pitch of excitement, as the word had gone around the crowd that Mr. Allen had been injured, perhaps killed. A half-dozen other rumors were in the air, all caused by the knowledge that a part of the building had caved in and that Frank Allen and the chief had been seen dashing into the place.
As the three emerged from the building, doctors grabbed them, for the chief and Frank were choking from the smoke, while Mr. Allen was now unconscious.
In a short while the chief was himself, as was also Frank, while Mr. Allen had been hurried off to a hospital. Being informed of this when he had come around, Frank, too, was driven quickly to the hospital. Mrs. Allen and Frank’s sister Helen were out in the Canadian Rockies on a visit.
The chief now directed the fire-fighting to better effect since he knew the situation more thoroughly within the building. In an hour the fire was completely out.
At the hospital aid was given to Mr. Allen, who had suffered bruises from the fall through the floor, probably also from pieces of timber or goods which fell on top of him, and, as the doctors said, maybe internal injuries were inflicted.