Without waiting for master's leave or matron's, the boys, in the Californian style, jumped over the fencing and went to help.

And they found a great crowd collected, and flames flaring out of the top of the house.

At the top of the house, according to a stupid and therefore general practice, was the nursery, made of more nurses than children, as often happens with rich people.

The nurses had run away for their lives, taking two of the children with them; but the third, a fine little girl of ten, had been left behind, and now ran to the window with red hot flames behind her.

The window was open, and barbs of fire, like serpents' tongues, played over it.
"Jump, child, jump! for God's sake, jump!" cried half a hundred people, while the poor scared creature quivered on the ledge, and shrank from the frightful depth below.