"Never mind now, catch this rope," and he threw it up toward the window with all the strength he had left, which was not very much. By rare good fortune Jack caught it.
"Quick, now, fasten it to something, this wall won't last much longer."
Jack disappeared for what seemed to Bob a long time, but at last he saw him at the window again.
"I've got it," he shouted.
"All right, now, come down while I hold this end."
Jack swung himself from the window and came down the rope hand over hand and soon had his feet on the top rung of the ladder.
"Now, quick, we haven't a second to lose," cried Bob, as he started to descend. "Are you all right?"
"Sure thing, look out, I'm coming," shouted Jack.
By this time several of the rungs were on fire, and two or three broke as Bob stepped on them, but he managed to keep his hold, and, reaching the ground, looked up to see Jack half way down. But, now the ladder was so weakened that, as the boy stepped on to the next rung, it swayed and broke fairly in two, and at that instant, the entire front of the building fell in with a tremendous crash.
Jack, however, was safe. He had felt the ladder, as well as the wall, going and had managed to throw himself backward away from the burning building. He fell only about eight feet and landed on his feet unhurt. Running quickly back, away from the intense heat, the two boys hugged each other in a frenzy of joy, while the crowd set up a great shout of gladness.