“O Pete!” shouted Allan. “Is your door unlocked?”
“Hello, partner!” returned Pete in a happy bellow. “Isn’t this great? Here I sit at my parlor window and watch all the wealth, beauty and fashion of our charming metropolis. And, say, ain’t the racket fine? This is more noise than I’ve heard since a dynamite blast went off behind my back! Why, it’s almost like living in a city! Say, if you fellows——”
“We want to come up,” shouted Allan. “Unlock your door.”
Pete shook his head.
“Not on your life, partner; I’ve only got my nightie on. Want me to freeze to death?”
“Well, put something on,” said Allan anxiously, “and come down.”
“’Fraid of catching cold. Besides, I must turn in now; I’m losing my beauty sleep.”
“But—but, Pete, they’re—they’re putting up a ladder!” blurted Allan.
“Are they?” asked Pete imperturbably. “Well, I’m not coming down to help ’em. They’ll have to get on without me, my boy. Hello, Hal, that you? Ain’t this wano? Such a cheerful——”
Pete’s roar stopped suddenly, as did the noise of the crowd. Two firemen half-way up the ladder at the front of the building nearly fell off. For a sudden appalling silence gave place to the uproar! The bell was still!