“I don’t know where it is,” replied Jonas.
Rollo listened a moment, and he could hear the city bells ringing in very mournful and alarming tones, some near, and some at a distance. There was one belonging to a church nearly opposite to the hotel, which sounded very loud and near. The flashing light upon the wall moved gradually along the room, and then disappeared; and soon after another came in on the opposite side, and moved along the wall in the same manner. Rollo could hear the sound of a great uproar in the street below, consisting of confused but loud and hoarse voices, the heavy rattling of wheels, and a bell which sounded in a very peculiar manner as it moved along the street, as if it was rung by being jolted and jarred.
Rollo and Jonas went to the window to look out. It was a dark and cloudy night, and the window was very high from the street, as Rollo’s room was in one of the upper stories of the house. Still they could look down upon the street below, and see that it was filled with a torrent of men, moving along in a hurried manner, the whole mass being illuminated by great torches which some of the men carried in their hands. They were dragging along a fire engine, which thundered over the pavement as they ran, in the most terrifying manner.
“Let’s go and see the fire,” said Rollo.
“Well,” said Jonas, “we might; only perhaps there may not be any fire. Perhaps it is only an alarm.”
“No matter,” said Rollo; “let us go and see the alarm.”
Rollo knew that to witness the scene of noise and excitement in the street, would interest him very much, even if there was no house on fire.
“Well,” said Jonas, “dress yourself as quick as you can, and I’ll come in again when I’m ready.”
Jonas accordingly went out, and finished making his preparations, and then returned. He required Rollo to put on his great-coat, for he said there would be danger of taking cold in standing still in the chill evening air, to look at the fire if they should find one. When they were ready, they hurried down stairs.
The street seemed to be nearly still when they left Rollo’s room; but, when they issued from the hotel, and stepped out upon the sidewalk, they heard the sound of noise and uproar approaching again. They looked in the direction from which the sound came, and saw a great torch coming along the street, which flamed, and flashed, and illuminated the pavements and the buildings on each side of it. It was followed by a long, double line of men and boys, with other torches and lights at intervals, pulling upon a rope; and farther behind they heard a very heavy, lumbering sound of wheels, and a sort of confused roar of voices mingling with it. It was another fire engine. It approached with great rapidity, and a crowd of men and boys attended and followed it, so large as to fill the street full; and, brushing rudely by Jonas and Rollo on the sidewalk, they filled the air with their loud but hoarse and hollow shouts. “Ahead with her! ahead with her!”