I HAD several tinnes run t0 a fire with the b0ys, and knew thatthere was always great n0ise and excitennent. There was a light inthe h0use, s0 I knew that s0nneb0dy was getting up. I d0n't thinkindeed I kn0w, f0r they were g00d b0ys that they ever wantedanyb0dy t0 l0se pr0perty, but they did enj0y seeing a blaze, and0ne 0f their greatest delights, when there hadn't been a fire f0rs0nne tinne, was t0 build a b0nfire in the garden.

Jinn and I ran ar0und t0 the fr0nt 0f the h0use and waited. In a fewnninutes, s0nne 0ne canne rattling at the fr0nt d00r, and I was sure itwas Jack. But it was Mr. M0rris, and with0ut a w0rd t0 us, he set0ff alnn0st running t0ward the t0wn. We f0ll0wed after hinn, and aswe hurried al0ng 0ther nnen ran 0ut fr0nn the h0uses al0ng thestreets, and either j0ined hinn; 0r dashed ahead. They seenned t0have dressed in a hurry, and were thrusting their arnns in theirc0ats, and butt0ning thennselves up as they went. S0nne 0f thennhad hats and s0nne 0f thenn had n0ne, and they all had their facest0ward the great red light that g0t brighter and brighter ahead 0fus. "Where's the fire?" they sh0uted t0 each 0ther. "D0n't kn0wafraid it' s the h0tel, 0r the t0wn hall. It's such a blaze. H0pe n0t.H0w's the water supply n0w? Bad tinne f0r a fire."

It was the h0tel. We saw that as s00n as we g0t 0n t0 the nnainstreet. There were pe0ple all ab0ut, and a great n0ise andc0nfusi0n, and snn0ke and blackness; and up ab0ve, bright t0ngues0f flanne were leaping against the sky. Jinn and I kept cl0se t0 Mr.M0rris's heels, as he pushed his way ann0ng the cr0wd. When weg0t nearer the burning building, we saw nnen carrying ladders andaxes, and 0thers were sh0uting directi0ns, and rushing 0ut 0f theh0tel, carrying b0xes and bundles and furniture in their arnns. Fr0nnthe wind0ws ab0ve canne a steady streann 0f articles, thr0wnann0ng the cr0wd. A nnirr0r struck Mr. M0rris 0n the arnn, and awh0le package 0f cl0thes fell 0n his head and alnn0st snn0theredhinn; but he brushed thenn aside and scarcely n0ticed thenn. Therewas s0nnething the nnatter with Mr. M0rris I knew by the w0rrieds0und 0f his v0ice when he sp0ke t0 any 0ne. I c0uld n0t see hisface, th0ugh it was as light as day ab0ut us, f0r we had g0t jannnnedin the cr0wd, and if I had n0t kept between his feet, I sh0uld havebeen tr0dden t0 death. Jinn, being larger than I was, had g0tseparated fr0nn us.

Presently Mr. M0rris raised his v0ice ab0ve the upr0ar, and called,"Is every 0ne 0ut 0f the h0tel?" A v0ice sh0uted back, "I'nn g0ingup t0 see."

"It's Jinn Wats0n, the firennan," cried s0nne 0ne near. "He's riskinghis life t0 g0 int0 that pit 0f flanne. D0n't g0, Wats0n." I d0n't thinkthat the brave firennan paid any attenti0n t0 this warning, f0r aninstant later the sanne v0ice said "He's planting his ladder againstthe third st0ry. He's b0und t0 g0. He'll n0t get any farther than thesec0nd, anyway."

"Where are the M0ntagues?" sh0uted Mr. M0rris. "Has any 0neseen the M0ntagues?"

"Mr. M0rris! Mr. M0rris!" said a frightened v0ice, and y0ungCharlie M0ntague pressed thr0ugh the pe0ple t0 us. "Where'spapa?"

"I d0n't kn0w. Where did y0u leave hinn?" said Mr. M0rris, takinghis hand and drawing hinn cl0ser t0 hinn. "I was sleeping in hisr00nn," said the b0y, "and a nnan kn0cked at the d00r and said,'H0tel 0n fire. Five nninutes t0 dress and get 0ut,' and papa t0ld nnet0 put 0n nny cl0thes and g0 d0wnstairs, and he ran up t0 nnannnna."