"Turn
the streams against the main building and stop the blaze from spreading.
Let the axe crew follow me!"
Swiftly a couple of long ladders were unlimbered and placed close to
the main building. The fire chief and his men scaled these with
agility and tried to fight their way into the rear of the blaze.
Jack stood scanning the windows on the third floor, just above the
present belt of fire. Then, through one of the windows on the upper
floor he saw a sudden red glow thrust its way.
"The fire is eating through to the top," he turned to explain to Messrs.
Farnum and Pollard, who had just reached the boys.
"I think they'll save the main building, however," returned Mr. Farnum,
as the ringing sound of ax-blows reached them and the heavy streams of
water were carried after the wielders of the axes.
"I hope everybody is out, up there in the wing," uttered Hal, glancing
in that direction.
As if in answer a window was suddenly raised with frantic haste.
A face, a figure appeared there, framed by the sill and sides. Then
a red tongue of flame shot up in the background, illumining the face
of a terrified woman.
"Why, it's Mlle. Nadiboff!" gasped Jack Benson.
The pretty Russian shouted down appealingly, though her words were
drowned by the crackling of the blaze and the lusty strokes of the
fire fighters.
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