robert was hardly in a fit mental condition to enjoy his row, and his face was very serious as he drew away from the crowd that had molested him.
"i don't see what they want to act so for?" he mused, as he pulled up the broad stream. "i never tried to harm any of them, or interfered with their amusements."
crossing to the other side of the thames he started to fish for a while.
but the fish were not biting well just then, and after bringing up one small stickleback, a fish very common to england's streams, he drew in his lines and gave it up.
close to where the rowboat rode was a grassy bank, filled with moss and several species of ferns, and presently robert jumped ashore to investigate.
"those ferns are very pretty," he thought. "i guess i'll dig some up, put them in a flowerpot and place them in one of our windows. i am certain mrs. vernon will be pleased to watch them grow."
he was prowling around, and had already dug up half a dozen ferns and some moss to wrap them in, when he discovered the smoke drifting over the village.
"that looks pretty close to our boarding house," he said to himself. "can it be possible that it is mrs. barlow's place?"
much alarmed, he leaped into his boat and seized the oars. a few strokes took him well out into the stream, and then he made out that it was the boarding house beyond the possibility of a doubt.
with desperate energy he began to row for the nearest landing to the house.
"if only mrs. vernon is safe," he said to himself, over and over again.
he knew only too well how badly she was suffering from rheumatism, and also knew that at this time of day she was probably lying down trying to catch a nap.
at last the landing was gained, and our hero leaped from the boat and ran at top speed for the boarding house.
by this time the alarm had been given through the village, and the inhabitants were hurrying to the scene of the conflagration from all directions.
there was but one fire engine in the place, and this was a very primitive affair, so, with such a strong wind blowing, it was speedily seen that mrs. barlow's resort was doomed.
when robert came up he ran plump into the landlady, who was rushing out of the house with a lamp in one hand and a canary bird cage in the other.
"mrs. barlow, is mrs. vernon safe?" he asked breathlessly.
"mrs. vernon?" repeated mrs. barlow, in a semi-dazed fashion. "sure, mr. frost, i don't know where she is."
robert waited to hear no more, but ran into the boarding house and began to mount the stairs, three steps at a time.
"mrs. vernon!" he called out. "mrs. vernon, where are you?"
getting no reply, he made his way through the upper hallway, which was rapidly filling with smoke. the fire was in the rear of the dwelling and so far the wind had blown it away, but now the wind was shifting and the fire was leaping from cellar to garret.
robert, as we know, was naturally brave, and now the thought that the lady who had been so kind to him might be in peril of her life, lent him additional courage.
he tried mrs. vernon's door, to find it locked.
"mrs. vernon!" he repeated. "mrs. vernon!"
"what is it, robert?" came sleepily from inside.
"get up, quickly! the house is on fire!"
"on fire!" came with a gasp. "oh, robert!"
"open the door and i will help you to get downstairs," went on the youth.
there was a hasty movement within the apartment and then the key turned in the lock. robert threw the door open, to behold mrs. vernon standing before him, clad in a morning wrapper and her slippers.
having just roused up from a sound sleep, she was bewildered and gazed at him questioningly.
"come, there is no time to lose," he said, and took hold of her arm.
"my jewels and money----" she began, and pointed to the dresser. with one clutch he caught up the jewel case and her money box and placed them under his arm.
they hurried into the hallway. the smoke was now so thick that robert could scarcely see the stairs. in her excitement mrs. vernon forgot all about her rheumatism. she clutched the young secretary tightly by the arm.
"bend down and the smoke won't blind you so much," said robert. "lean on me if you are afraid of falling."
they passed downstairs as rapidly as the lady's condition permitted. in the lower hallway they again met mrs. barlow, along with several others, all carrying out furniture and other household effects.
once outside, robert conducted mrs. vernon to a place of safety, and set her down on a garden bench. she was still bewildered, but gradually her excitement left her.
the pair had hardly reached the bench when a piercing scream rang out, coming from the garret of the boarding house. at the small dormer window stood a young girl, waving her hands piteously for help.
"it is norah gump!" shouted somebody in the crowd. "what is she doing up there?"
"she went up for her bag of clothing," answered mrs. barlow. "she used to sleep in the garret."
robert recognized the girl as one who had assisted the cook of the boarding house. he had heard her called norah, but had never supposed that she was a sister to the bully of the village.
"she will be burnt up!" he cried, in horror.
"oh, i trust not!" cried mrs. vernon. "see if you cannot aid her, robert."
"i will," he returned, and dropping her jewel casket and her money box in her lap, he made again for the burning building.
"no use of trying to go up there," cried one of the firemen. "the stairs is burning already."
"then why not get a ladder and put it up to the window?" asked robert.
"aint got no ladder," came from another man. "maybe she had better jump."
"she'll break her neck if she jumps," said robert. he looked up at the window and then at a tree which grew nearby. one of the branches of the tree was within four feet of the opening.
"please save me!" shrieked the girl. "the room is full of smoke already!"
"don't jump!" answered robert. he turned to the firemen. "give me a boost up into the tree."
"you can't reach the window from there," said one of the men.
"i think i can. but hurry, or it will be too late."
the firemen did as requested, and up the tree went robert with the agility of a cat. he felt that it was a veritable climb for life.
the fire was now coming out of a parlor window, and this sent the smoke and sparks into the tree and up to the window at which the girl was standing.
"i can't stay here," moaned the girl, wringing her hands. "i must jump!" and she placed one foot on the window sill.
"wait a few seconds longer," urged robert, as he climbed nearer to her.
"the fire is coming up through the floor!"
with a jump, our hero gained the branch which grew out toward the window. luckily it was a heavy limb, or it would not have sustained his weight. the end had originally pressed on the roof of the house, but this had been sawed off.
at last our hero was within four feet of the window sill, and somewhat below the opening. the girl watched him in a frenzy of terror. buckling his feet under the tree limb robert held out his arms.
"now, jump and i will catch you," he said.
the girl needed no second bidding, for the flames were already licking the floor under her. standing on the window sill she cast herself forth, and our hero caught and steadied her. it was no easy thing to do, and for one brief instant it looked as if both would fall to the ground. but robert kept his hold, and soon they were safe and descending to the ground.
a cheer went up.
"he's a brave lad!" was the cry. "he deserves a medal!"
the women folks standing around said but little, yet all were deeply affected.
when norah gump reached the ground her emotions were such that she fainted dead away.
restoratives were speedily applied, and while they were being administered sammy gump appeared on the scene, followed by the boys who had helped him in his attack on robert.
"is norah dead?" he asked, in a quivering voice. he thought a good deal of his sister.
"no, she has only fainted from excitement," answered one of the women standing by. "she'll be all right in a little while. but she would have been burnt up if it hadn't been for that young gent yonder."
sammy looked in the direction pointed out, and beheld robert, who had rejoined mrs. vernon.
"do you mean to tell me he saved her?" he demanded, in amazement.
"yes, he did," put in one of the men, and gave the bully the particulars. these particulars were also corroborated by bob snipper and his chums.
"i can't understand it at all," said sammy, a little while later, when he was taking his sister to his mother's house. "he's a good bit better chap than i dreamed he was."
