The tower was built of pine wood and plaster, which had been dried by the sun without and hot sheet-iron chimneys within, so that it burned fiercely.

The firemen saw that it was a very dangerous place for anyone to venture into, therefore they hesitated and drew back; but their leader swore at them, calling them cowards, and at once they climbed to the perilous place; but scarcely had they reached it when there was an explosion of gases; the roof heaved and fell in, carrying with it sixteen men down into a pit of gaseous flame, and a shriek of horror went up from the fifty thousand people who stood looking on, unable to give the least assistance to the poor perishing men.
The party from the _Dolphin_ saw it all and were sick with horror.

Grace fainted, and but for the support of her father's arm, quickly thrown about her, would have fallen to the floor of the platform where they stood.

He held her up, and with the help of Harold and Herbert, hastily pushed his way through the crowd.
"Lay her down as quickly as you can, captain!" exclaimed Harold; "it is important." "Yes, I know," returned Captain Raymond, glancing down at the white, unconscious face of his precious burden.
But at that instant Grace's eyes opened, and looking up in a bewildered way into her father's eyes, "Papa, I'm too heavy for you to carry," she said faintly.
"No, my darling, not at all," he replied.

"There, Uncle Harold has summoned a boat and we will take you back at once to our floating home." "Am I sick?
did I faint, papa ?" she asked.