With the little girl held close between them, their bodies shielding her
from the flames, the two groped and stumbled down the short flight of
stairs, fairly falling through the whirlwind of flame that swirled
upward from the first floor. Scorched, singed, with their clothing afire
in places, they fought their way back to the street--safe!
Betty ran forward with a glad cry and flung her arms around her twin.
"Bob! Oh, Bob, I thought you were _gone_!"
Just then they heard a shout as a frightened little family group came
running up, and a roughly dressed laborer snatched the little girl and
kissed her till her eyes opened and she smiled.
"Good Schneider! Nice Schneider!" said her small brother, patting the
dog, who was wagging his tail almost off for joy.
"Nice little Schneider--he took--care--of--me!" exclaimed the little
girl between kisses. And the father gathered up the little dog in his
arms and kissed him, too!
As the tired Safety Scouts opened the front gate half an hour later, the
boom of a cannon roared out, somewhere on the other side of town, and
the twelve o'clock bells and whistles joined in an echoing chorus.
Sure Pop raised his hand with a tired smile. "Midnight!" he cried.
"Hurrah for the glorious Fourth!"
_Don't let a careless match cost a dozen homes._
--SURE POP
[Illustration]