"It won't burn to the ground," answered Jack, and leaped up the ladder again.
Soon our hero was chopping away at a lively rate. In the meantime the others brought all the water possible to the scene.
When a hole was made in the roof the flames shot skyward for six or eight feet. At this St. John uttered a loud cry, almost of exultation:
"There, what did I tell you? Now the house will be burnt to the ground sure!"
"Lively with that water!" shouted Jack, ignoring him completely. And as the pails and buckets came up in a stream, he dashed the contents where they would do the most good.
It was perilous work, for the smoke rolled all around him, and more than once he was in danger of suffocation. But the water now did much good, and soon the flames began to go down.
"Hurrah! we have the fire under control!" shouted Larry.
It was true, and inside of quarter of an hour the last spark was put out. Then Jack crawled to the ground, almost too weak to stand.
"Is it out?" asked Mrs. Ruthven anxiously.
"Yes," answered our hero.