"O Johnny! Johnny! run! run! it'll explode now, sure!" cried Kate wildly, thinking the carpet would send the blaze down into the lamp instantly. But all was in darkness.
"Johnny! Oh! where is he?" screamed Sue, almost fancying he must have died with the blaze somehow.
"Sure, and there ain't any fire now at all!" said Kate, in wonderment. "Where are you, Johnny?"
"Here I am," said a calm voice at her elbow. "Didn't that go out quickly? I knew it would as soon as the rug was over it, but I was a little afraid it might explode before I could get it covered: I didn't really believe it would, though; for father says he is always very careful to get the best of kerosene."
"What a brave boy!" said Kate admiringly. "But you oughtn't to have risked your life so, Johnny. And what could have ailed that lamp? I'll light a candle, and go and see what the matter was; for I don't dare touch another kerosene-lamp. I left that one all right when I went off, about an hour and a half ago."
After lighting the gas in the kitchen, Kate lighted a candle, and entered the shed, preceded by Johnny. Sue still feared it was unsafe, and stood on the platform, telling them they had better not go in.
Kate took up the end of the rug, and peered cautiously underneath, prepared to run and pull Johnny after her if there was a spark of fire left; but, as all was dark, she assisted Johnny to remove the rug. The lamp appeared to be all right. Johnny put his hand upon the glass portion.
"Why, see how hot it is, Katie!" he said: "it must have got heated standing in this little warm room so near the stove, and that made the kerosene swell, I guess, and go up in the wick, and run over at the top; and so the kerosene was on fire on the outside,—that was all."
"That was all!" exclaimed Sue, who had now ventured to follow them. "Well, I should think that was enough. I never was so scared in all my life.—But there's a fire somewhere, for there's the bell ringing."
"Sure enough," said Johnny; "and it's our box too!"