The Rover Boys on the Ocean Part 22

"Fire! Fire! Fire!" came from all parts of the building.

One after another the cadets roused up. Some were completely bewildered and did not know what to do.

"We had better get out as soon as we can!" exclaimed d.i.c.k, as he slipped into his trousers. "Come, Tom! come, Sam!"

He ran for the hallway, to find it so thick with smoke that escape in that direction seemed cut off.

"We can't go down that way!" came from Frank. "We'd be smothered to death."

"Let's jump from the windows," put in Larry, who was more frightened than any of the others.

"No, no; don't jump yet!" cried Tom "You'll break a leg, and maybe your neck."

"But I don't want to be burnt up," returned Larry, his teeth chattering.

"Hold on, we have that rope we used when we had the feast last summer," said Sam. "Let us tie that to the window and get down on it."

Sam ran to the closet and found the rope just where it had been left, on a hook in the corner. Soon they had it out and fastened to a bed-slat braced across the window frame.

"Down you go, Larry!" said d.i.c.k. "Be careful; I reckon we have plenty of time."

Larry slid down in a jiffy, and one after another the others came after him, d.i.c.k being the last. As the youth turned around on the window sill he saw the fire creeping in at the door. Their escape had taken place none too soon.

Down on the parade ground they found a motley collection of half-dressed cadets, instructors, servants, and others who had been sleeping in the burning Hall.

In the midst of the group was Captain Putnam, pale but comparatively cool, considering the excitement under which he was laboring.

"Are all the boys out?" he asked of George Strong. "Line them up and call the roll."

The roll-call was put through in double-quick order. Only two lads were missing, a boy named Harrison and another named Leeks.

"Here comes Harrison!" cried Harry Blossom, and the boy limped forth from the opposite side of the burning building.

"I sprang from the east wing," he explained. "I guess my ankle is sprained." And then he dropped down and was carried away from the scene to a place of safety.

"Where can Leeks be?" questioned Captain Putnam. "Leeks! Leeks!

Where are you?" he cried with all the power of his lungs.

At first the only reply that came back was the roaring of the flames, as they mounted from one section of the Hall to another.

Then, however, came a shriek from the rear end of the western wing.

"Help me! Save me! I don't want to be burnt up!"

"It is Leeks!" cried Tom. "See, he is on the gutter of the roof!"

He pointed in the direction, and all saw the cadet, dressed in nothing but his white gown, clinging desperately to the slates of the roof above the gutter. He had run from the second floor to the third and sought safety by crawling out of a dormer window.

"Don't jump!" cried a dozen in concert. "Don't jump, Leeks!"

"What shall I do? The flames are coming up here as fast as they can!" groaned the cadet. "Oh, save me, somebody!"

"Let's get the ladder," said d.i.c.k, and started for the barn, with a score of cadets at his heels and George Strong with them. In the meantime Captain Putnam again urged Leeks to remain where he was. "We will save you, don't fear," he added.

The fire below now made the scene as bright as day, and already the neighbors were rushing to the scene, followed by the Cedarville volunteer fire department, with their hose cart and old style hand-pump engine.

Soon the ladder was brought out of the barn and rushed to the spot directly below where Leeks stood. Willing hands raised it against the building. And then a loud groan went up. The ladder was too short by ten feet--and it was the only ladder to be had!

CHAPTER XIV

THE DISAPPEARANCE OF DORA STANHOPE

"We can't reach him with that! He'll be burnt up before we can get to him. See, the flames are already coming out of the window beside him!"

"Save me! Push the ladder up higher!" shrieked Leeks. "I can't get down to it!"

"Wait, I've got an idea," put in d.i.c.k, and ran behind the barn to the garden patch.

Soon he came back armed with a long and knotty beanpole. George Strong was already on the ladder, and the beanpole was shoved up to him.

"That's all right!" came the cry. "Leeks, can't you get hold?"

"I'll try," said the terrorized boy.

As quickly as he could George Strong mounted to the very top of the ladder. Then the teacher raised the beanpole, heavy end upward, until Leeks managed to grasp it.

"Can you steady it against the gutter?" asked the teacher.

"I--I don't know. If I had a cord--"

"There is a string on the window blind. Tie the end of the pole to that."

With trembling hands Leeks did as directed. The cord was not a stout one, but it was sufficiently strong to keep the beanpole in position, and that was all that was required, since the teacher steadied it and held it up from below.

But getting over the edge of the gutter was no easy movement, and those on the ground held their breath as Leeks crawled to where he could grasp the beanpole. Then the cadet came down on the run to where his feet struck the top of the ladder. In a minute more he and the head teacher came to the ground.

A cheer went up. "Hurrah! Leeks is safe! Good for Mr. Strong!"

In the midst of the cries Leeks fainted and had to be carried to the gymnasium for treatment.

The fire had evidently started in the lower hallway of the building, in a closet under the broad stairs. It was burning furiously in all of the halls and toward the rear.

As soon as Captain Putnam felt a.s.sured that the scholars and all others were safe he organized the boys into a bucket brigade. In the meantime Mrs. Grow, with more forethought than seemed possible to her nature, had turned on the water pipes leading from the water tower on the Hall roof. Thus a dozen small streams were thrown on the fire, to which the boys soon added their buckets of water. Then the Cedarville fire department added their services, and fighting the fire began in earnest, while Captain Putnam directed the removal of all furniture and other things which could be gotten out with safety.

"Say, but this is work!" panted Tom, as he struggled along with a big bucket of water in each hand.

"I only hope we succeed in saving the building."