“He’s there!” cried Charlie Ford.
“Yes, Joe’ll get him down if there’s any way to do it!” chimed in Henry Blake.
“And if there isn’t a way, Joe will make one!” declared Tom Simpson.
Joe’s chums and others in the crowd could see the young wizard now bending over the huddled form of the professor. They saw Joe hauling up the rope to get at the free end which was on the ground.
Just then came a burst of flames and smoke from a window in the second story, directly past which Joe had climbed a moment before, and past which he must lower the unconscious form of the magician; for that, evidently, was his intention. Could it be done?
“He’ll never do it!” some one said.
“They’re both goners!” was the general comment.
“The place is all on fire inside. No chance to save it,” a fireman remarked. “We’d all better get back, for she’ll explode soon.”
“Come on down, Joe!” a voice cried. “Save yourself!”
Joe answered something. What it was no one could hear above the crackle of the flames and the puffing of the engines.