The Outdoor Chums on the Gulf | Page 6

the building in its grip, when their case would
indeed be desperate.
Each tore and knotted until as if by magic a long rope was fashioned.
True, it might betray them at the last and break, but Frank believed the
sheets to be of good material and nearly new.
He had not time to even test the frail rope, but fastened it around the
sleeping balloonist, under his arms.
"Now help me lift him over the window-sill," he cried.
They had little difficulty in doing that, for the professor was a small,
slight man. Once he was passed over the ledge, they began to lower
away.
Frank only hoped in his heart that the fire might restrain its fury for a
brief space of time. If it darted out below it must catch the human
burden which they were lowering so speedily.
Shouts were heard outside. It seemed as though fully an hundred voices
were raised to applaud the daring feat of the two boys, as the figure of

the professor was seen coming rapidly down at the end of the rope
made of torn sheets.
"If it's only long enough!" gasped Jerry.
"Hurrah! they've got hold of him! He's saved!" roared Frank, as the
tremendous pull suddenly ceased.
They had about reached the end of the rope, so that this happy event
came just in the nick of time. Frank hurriedly fastened that end to the
bed-post.
"Climb out, Jerry, and slide down. Not a word now, or we may lose our
chance!"
Jerry had been about to object, wishing his chum to go first. He
realized the truth of what Frank said, however, and how foolish it
would be to stand back on a matter so small. Accordingly he clambered
over the window-sill and vanished from view.
Frank got in position to follow, and only waited until he had reason to
believe his chum had reached safety. The rope had done bravely, but it
certainly could never stand the strain of two of them at the same time.
And even as he waited there was a flash of fire below, as the flames ate
through the sheathing of the house. A tremendous yell went up.
"Come down, Frank--oh! quick!" he caught above the clamor, and he
knew that it was Will's shrill voice he heard.
The fire was perilously close to the rope. In a second it might catch and
be severed. Frank did not hesitate. He was accustomed to meeting
emergencies promptly, and doing the right thing.
Down he slipped, passing the threatening flame, in fact shooting
through it just as the rope began to be consumed in its hot breath. Frank
had almost reached the point of safety when he felt his support collapse,
and he dropped downward.

Something caught him, something that seemed endowed with life--the
extended arms of his three chums eagerly fashioned into a net, and he
was not injured, beyond a little singeing of his hair as he passed
through the fiery torch.
The boys were glad to get away from the crowd of enthusiastic
admirers who wanted to lift Frank and Jerry on their shoulders, and
carry them around town in triumph, something that felt repulsive to the
lads.
But the lame brother of the man they had saved, seized upon them ere
they went off.
"A thousand thanks to you, for your brave deed!" he cried. "You have
saved a human life to-night, boys, and one of more than ordinary value.
My brother is employed by the Government to experiment with
balloons and aeroplanes, and his discoveries may prove a great thing
for our nation in case of a foreign war. To-morrow he will thank you
himself, and from his heart. Your mothers have cause to be proud of
their sons, and I shall tell them so myself."
From a distance the boys watched the hotel burn, and talked over the
affair just as though they might have been casual watchers, and had no
particular interest in the matter. And yet two of them had come very
close to sacrificing their young lives in attempting to save that of
another.
Both Bluff and Will had suffered tortures while their chums were
inside the doomed structure. Their voices had led all the rest as the
sheet-rope fell from the upper window, with the form of the professor
dangling at the end, for they knew the daring plan of their mates had
been a brilliant success.
The fire did not jump to any of the nearby dwellings or stores, thanks to
the efficient labors of the department, the members of which worked
like Trojans in order to confine it to its original field.
When it had died down the boys separated once more, and the hearty

grip that passed between them was evidence of the