FELIX BECOMES A LANDLORD.
Jim Podmore's first feeling after the shock of the discovery was one
of deep-felt gratitude, and a muttered "Thank the Lord!" escaped his
lips as he saw his wife and child lying asleep in bed. When he started
to his feet in a half-conscious state, with the clamour and the roar
in his ears, his fear was that there had been an accident on the line,
and that Polly and her mother had been hurt; and he was inexpressibly
relieved to find that he had been dreaming. So deep and strong was his
feeling of relief that he did not immediately realize the real danger
which threatened him and those dear to him. It came upon him presently
in its full force, and he recognised that a moment's delay might prove
fatal. The first thing to find out was the extent of the danger. He
had shut the door directly the fire met his gaze. Now he opened it,
and ran down a few steps, on which the fire had not yet seized. He was
beaten back by the flames. He fancied he heard cries from the lower
part of the house, but he could see nothing for the smoke. There was
no escape that way. Snap ran hither and thither in the wildest
agitation, barking at the flames to keep them down. As Jim Podmore
threw open the window in despair, to see what means of escape that
outlet afforded, he saw the forms of persons hurrying to the street,
and heard the cries they uttered. Those below could not distinguish
his face, for he had closed the door again, and impelled by some
strange process of reasoning, had locked it to keep out the flames.
They saw, however, that some one was standing at the window, and they
called out to him, but he was too agitated to understand what they
said. The front of the house presented a flat surface of brick, and
there seemed to be nothing between him and death--not a foothold, nor
anything to cling to. The whole of this action had taken place in
scarcely more than two or three moments, and within that time Snap had
leaped upon the bed, and had aroused Pollypod and her mother. Had they
been alone, it is probable that they would have slept on unconscious
of their danger, for the smoke, stealing through the crevices of the
door, had already somewhat stupefied them, and whatever subtle
influence that and the dull roar of voices without might have had upon
their dreams, they would not have aroused them to consciousness. Mrs.
Podmore, with a scream, jumped out of bed, and looked wildly around;
at the same moment she snatched Polly from the bed, and held the child
close to shield her from danger.
"Keep cool, old woman," said Jim Podmore; "the house is on fire;" and
muttered inly, "I knew that presentiment would come true--didn't I
tell Old Wheels so?"
Mrs. Podmore was now standing at the window by Jim's side, with Polly
in her arms. Their white night-dresses shone in the midst of the dark
surface of brick, and voices reached them, rashly advising them to
jump down. But they were on the third floor, and although Jim saw
friendly arms held out below, he held his wife tight, lest in her fear
she should obey the entreaties of their neighbours.
"There's time enough for that, old woman," he muttered, with thick
breath; "perhaps the fire escape'll come. It'd be almost certain death
to take the leap."
Time was too precious to waste in mere words, and he released her from
his embrace. She turned to the door, but he cried out to her not to
open it, and that their only chance lay in doing their best to keep
out the flames.
"There's only one way out for us, old woman; and that's by the window.
Put Polly down, and give me a hand here. Quick! Don't be frightened,
my darling!"
He was tying the bedclothes together, to form a rope by which they
might escape through the window, and Mrs. Podmore flew to help him.
The door began to crack, and the room to fill with smoke; little jets
of flame appeared.
"God help us!" cried Mrs. Podmore. "We shall be burnt to death!"
Jim said nothing to this, but all the bedclothes being used, he
hurriedly fixed the mattress against the door, to gain another moment;
then tied one end of the rope firmly to the foot of the bedstead, and
threw the other end out of the window. It reached a little below the
second-floor window. As he leaned forward to see how long it was, a
ladder was fixed against the wall of the house, and a man, cheered on
by the crowd, ran up to the room where Old Wheels slept.
"There's the old man getting out," said Jim, in a suppressed tone; the
father, mother, and child were now together at the window; "and the
man's jumped into the room. Don't look behind you, mother! Thank God,
there's the fire-engine!"
It came tearing up the narrow street, and brave men were at work
almost in an instant.
"The man's out on the ladder, mother, with Lily in his arms. Hurrah!"
Jim lost sight of his own danger for a moment. "It'll be our turn
presently. The Gribbles are getting down now. They've found a rope!"
Indeed, in less time than it takes to describe, all these, happily,
were safely rescued, and only Jim Podmore and his wife and child
remained in the burning house. The flames were in the room, and the
fire-escape had not arrived. A moment's delay now would be fatal.
"Do you think you could hold fast to the rope," asked Jim of his wife,
with a tightening grasp on the knots, "and slide down? There's no
other chance left."
"I don't know, Jim," replied the trembling woman.
"See--there are two men climbing the ladder to catch us, and there are
others below them, holding them up. You'll have to drop into their
arms when you get to the end. Quick, mother! Now?"
"I can't, Jim," gasped the fainting woman; "I can't. Never mind me.
Save Polly!"
Without another word, Jim Podmore, with Polly in his arms, swung out
upon the rope. Happily it held and bore strain. Those below watched
him with agonised looks, and the roar suddenly became hushed.
"Drop the child!" cried a voice. It came from one of the men on the
ladder, and sounded clear and distinct, as from a silver trumpet.
"Don't be frightened, Pollypod! It's me--Felix!"
"Felix! Felix!" screamed Pollypod, and as she cried, fell through the
air into his arms. The cheers and the roar of delight that came from
the crowd were frozen as it were in the throats of the excited throng
as Jim, assuring himself by a hasty glance that his child was safe,
began to ascend the rope for his wife. He was not a moment too soon.
She was so overpowered with fright that he had to drag her through the
window.
"Keep your senses about you," he cried, "for God's sake, old woman!
Polly's safe! Hold me tight--don't loose your hold! For Polly's sake,
now--for Polly's sake, mother!"
She clung to him so tightly as almost to press the breath out of his
body; it was fortunate for them that another ladder was raised, and
that other friendly arms were held out to break their fall. The moment
they were safe, the attention of the crowd was diverted to the form of
a dog, who was standing and barking on the window-sill above. It was
Snap, who had been left behind. The dog was in great distress, for the
flames were darting towards him, and he could scarcely keep his
foothold. But Jim Podmore saw the peril of his faithful servant, and
having hurriedly ascertained that his wife and Pollypod were unhurt,
he ran up the ladder and called out to Snap to jump. The dog had but
one alternative--to be burnt; so he risked his limbs, and jumped clean
on the shoulders of his master, whence he rolled safely into the
crowd, who cheered merrily at the episode. Soon all the rescued ones
were assembled in a house at the bottom of the street. Their
neighbours had lent them clothes, and they stood looking strangely at
one another, grateful for their escape, but dismayed at the prospect
before them. Presently their tongues were loosened, and every little
incident connected with the fire was narrated with eagerness. No one
knew or suspected how it had occurred. Alfred had come home, and, in
accordance with the promise he had given to Lizzie to kiss Lily
before he went to bed, had knocked at his sister's door and found that
she was awake. He sat talking to her for about a quarter of an hour,
and then went to bed.
"I was asleep in a minute," said Alfred, "and I don't remember
anything until I was pulled out of bed and told the house was on
fire."
He held out his hand to Felix, for it was Felix who, after helping to
rescue Lily and Old Wheels, had aroused Alfred to a sense of his
danger. Felix responded cordially, and was sufficient of a casuist to
be quietly pleased because a lucky chance had given him a claim upon
Alfred's gratitude.
Voices asked where the fire had commenced.
"It must have broken out in the lower part of the house," said Old
Wheels; "but it does not matter to us now. Thank God we're all saved,
eh, Pollypod?"
Pollypod nodded her head a dozen times, and looked solemnly at Felix.
"_You_ saved _me_," she said.
"Father saved you, Polly," replied Felix. "Didn't he make a rope and
creep out of the window down it with Polly in his arms?"
"But you caught me!"
"Yes, I caught you, little one. It's like the story of Cock Robin,
with a happier ending. Some one saw the fire--some one cried out--some
one climbed up--some one crept down--some one caught Polly."
Which made Polly laugh. But her father looked grave, His strait was a
hard one indeed. Every stick of furniture burnt, every scrap of spare
clothing burnt, no money in his purse, and not insured for a shilling.
Here was a fine example for theorists whose favourite theme is the
improvidence of the poor!
The Gribbles were better off than the others, and had taken shelter
elsewhere. Gribble junior had saved his little store of money, and had
thrown his clothes and those of his wife out of the window, not having
had time to put them on. Gribble senior drivelled a great deal; and
weakly declared his belief that co-operation was the cause of this,
his crowning misfortune.
Jim Podmore did not say anything of his dream. His wife made a remark.
"It's an ill-wind that blows nobody good, Jim. If you hadn't fell
asleep in the chair, you wouldn't have saved your clothes, perhaps."
"A nice figure I should ha' looked going to work without 'em," he
replied, with grim humour.
If there was any comfort in the fact that they were all in the same
boat as regards the complete destruction of their worldly goods, that
comfort was theirs. The only one who seemed to make light of the
misfortune was Felix; he extracted some secret satisfaction from it.
He had a plan in his head.
He certainly lost no time in putting it into execution. In the
afternoon of the following day he burst in upon them. He was flushed
and triumphant.
"Now, then," he said, with heartless gaiety, "if you had anything to
pack up, I should tell you to pack up at once and get ready. As it is,
you can come along with we at once. I intend to take you all into
custody."
They looked at him for his meaning.
"Polly," he said, "will you come and live in my house?"
"O, yes, yes!"
"I've settled it all with your husband, Mrs. Podmore, and he comes
straight from his work to my house to-night; so you are powerless, you
see, and dare not make an objection."
Old Wheels drew Felix aside.
"Explain this to me, Felix."
"Well, I knew of a house--a small one--ready furnished, which I could
obtain on reasonable terms for a short time. I have taken it as a
speculation, and I am going to instal you at once in your new home."
"How as a speculation, Felix?"
"Why, you shall pay me rent, of course, when you have turned yourself
round, and so shall Mr. Podmore. The loss would be a very trifling one
to me--I am doing fairly well now, you know--if you all cheated me out
of the rent. Seriously, sir, I know you would as soon be under an
obligation to me as to any other man, and a home you must have. I am
delighted to have you all in my power."
He beckoned to Lily.
"Where do you think your new home is, Lily?"
"I can't guess."
Strange enough, she also seemed to extract happiness from their
trouble.
"Where would you like it to be? Near to Lizzie's?"
She uttered an exclamation of pleasure.
"Well, it is; within twenty yards of Lizzie's house. Lizzie is making
everything ready for you now. Mrs. Podmore has a room upstairs. A cab
is waiting at the door, and we are all going together in a bunch."
Old Wheels rang Felix's hand; Lily smiled one of her brightest smiles;
Pollypod jumped for joy; Mrs. Podmore burst out crying, and throwing
her arms round Felix's neck, kissed him first and begged his pardon
afterwards.
That evening they were all comfortably installed in their new
residence. Even Alfred was delighted, although he knew that a sword
was hanging over his head.