HE room where Henry Watson appeared was beyond the reach of the ladder. Everybody stood looking at him for a few minutes;

what else could they do? There are some people who are always the leaders in all that is done in the world-even as children, and afterwards as boys and girls, they take the lead. I think they are born to do it; that is, God intends them to lead others right; but, unhappily, boys and men very often listen to the voice of the devil, who persuades them to lead others wrong. You may remember I have said before that Geoffry had a good deal of influence over his companions. That influence had been given him that he might do good.

Now, after a minute's thought, Mr. Calton turned to the group of boys, and said, 'Some of you run to the kitchen garden and get the training ladder; it is against the tool-house. Make haste! I will find some rope.'

Then he shouted to Henry Watson, 'Don't be afraid; we will come to your help in a minute or so. Don't scream so; you are in no danger just yet.'

But it was of no use saying so to Henry Watson. Scream he would, and scream he did, as loud as if the fire had already caught his back.

It was a very little while before Geoffry Lisle and Jack Allen, who had run to obey the master's orders, returned with the garden ladder. At the same moment the captain of the firemen came near and said,—

There is no hurry, young gentlemen. The fire is quite out. There will be no more damage done to-night, or rather this morning-not but what there has been quite enough already.'

'Make haste! Be quick!' still shrieked Henry Watson.

'Never fear,' shouted Geoffry in return. The fire is out; there is no danger!'

'But I shall be burnt! I know I shall!' returned Henry Watson, sobbing.

Mr. Calton was on his knees, binding the two ladders together. When they were safely tied, they were placed against the wall so as to reach the window where Watson stood.

He was now holding something in his arms, which looked like a square box.

'Oh!' he whined, 'I shall never get over the window sill. I shall be sure to fall!'

Shall I run up and help him, sir?' asked Jack Allen.

'No,' said Mr. Calton; he can very well get down. by himself.' Then he called to Watson, 'What is that you have in your arms? Throw it down, and then come down yourself.'

Watson, after a little thought, threw the box out of the window, which opened as it fell, and from it there rolled a plum-cake which he had received the day before. His greediness had induced him to go into the house to save his cake, although, I think, had he known it, the fright which was in store for him when he found he could not return by the way he had gone would have made his cowardice weigh more heavily than his gluttony.

After a great many exclamations that he could not get out, and he knew he would be killed, and a good deal of unboyish sobbing and howling, Henry Watson, finding that he must get down by himself or remain where he was, climbed down the ladder, just too late to save his cake, which the boys had seized upon and had made a football of all over the garden, so that the pieces of it which were left were not fit to eat.

It was now broad daylight, and Mr. and Mrs. Calton went into the house to see how much of it was left. The study was quite destroyed, and the drawingroom and bedroom above it and the front staircase all burnt.