Under the glow of the fire,
excited by the red light, the other man stood irresolute, eager for
action, but not knowing what to do. A picture came back to him of a ship
labouring in a storm; the huddling men on the deck; the mate on the
bridge, shrieking his orders through a megaphone. He cupped his hands at
his mouth and began to bark orders.
They obeyed on the run. Some rushed for the kitchen and secured buckets;
two manned the big pump and started a great gush of water; in a moment a
steady stream was being flung by the foremost men of the line against
the smoking walls and even the ceiling of the dining-room. So far it was
the oil itself, which had made most of the flame and smoke, and now,
although the big table was on fire, the main structure of the house was
hardly touched.
They caught it in time and worked with a cheer, swinging the buckets
from hand to hand, shouting as the flames fell little by little until
the floor of the room was awash, the walls gave back clouds of steam,
and the only fire was that which smouldered along the ruined table.
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