"Oh, ain't dar nobody to help ole Aunt Betsy?" she screamed, stretching out her wrinkled arms and toil-worn hands in passionate entreaty; "will you ebery one ob you leave de po' ole woman to burn up in dis awful fiah? Isn't ye got no pity in yo' souls! Oh, somebody come an' help de po' ole woman to git down 'fore she burn all up!"
"A rope!" shouted the captain, "quick! quick! a rope!"
"Heah, massa cap'n!" answered Solon close it hand. "Ise brung it jus' in time."
"What can you do with a rope, Raymond?" asked Donald.
"Make an effort to save her with the help of that lightning-rod."
"You risk your own life, and it is worth far more than hers," Donald said entreatingly.
"Stay a moment, captain," said Mr. Dinsmore, "they are bringing a ladder."
"But there's no time to lose; see! the flames are already bursting out from the next window."
"Yes, but here it is," as the negroes halted with it close beside them. "It is to be used to reach that window, boys," he said, turning to them and pointing upward. "Set it up there."
"Can't do it, sah! 'Mos' as much as a man's life is wuth to go so near de fire."