It was a period of breathless suspense. There were no more cries from below. The great crowd was watching this one man fighting death to save another, and they felt instinctively that any unnecessary noise might disturb him.
Suddenly one broad-shouldered young man rushed out from the throng held back by a cordon of police. It was Chick!
Dodging the police and firemen who tried to stop him, he gained the foot of the ladder and went swarming up like a monkey.
Almost immediately he was standing just below Carter, and speaking to him with the coolness that was characteristic of both of them in moments of fierce peril.
Just as Chick got there the ladder began to sag in the middle!
“Drop him on my shoulder, chief!”
“All right! Glad you’re here!”
Carefully, but not too fast, the weight of the old man was transferred to Chick’s arm and shoulder.
“I have him!” announced Chick. “I’ll have to walk down with him. But you slide! Just wait till I’m nearly down. Then come!”