During these episodes, the firemen had continued at their work with cool and undistracted attention. And here the value of organisation was strikingly and beautifully brought out; for, while the crowd swayed to and fro, now breathless with anxiety lest the efforts of the bold conductor of the fire-escape should fail; anon wild with excitement and loud in cheers when he succeeded, each fireman paid devoted and exclusive attention to his own prescribed piece of duty, as if nothing else were going on around him, and did it with all his might--well knowing that every other piece of work was done, or point of danger guarded, by a comrade, while the eagle eyes of Mr Braidwood and his not less watchful foremen superintended all, observed and guided, as it were, the field of battle. And truly, good generalship was required, for the foe was fierce and furious. The "devouring element" rushed onward like a torrent. The house was large and filled with rich furniture, which was luxurious food for the flames as they swept over the walls, twined round the balustrades, swallowed the paintings, devoured the woodwork, and melted the metal in their dread progress. But the foe that met them was, on this occasion, more than a match for the flames. It was a hand-to-hand encounter. The men followed them foot by foot, inch by inch--sometimes almost singeing their beards or being well-nigh choked and blinded by dense volumes of smoke, but, if driven back, always returning to the charge. The heat at times beat on their helmets so fiercely that they were forced to turn their faces aside and half-turn their backs on the foe, but they _always_ kept their weapons--the "branches"--to the front, and continued to discharge upon him tons and tons of aqueous artillery. "Get up to the windows now; use the escape," said Mr Braidwood; and as he said this he passed through the doorway of the burning house. Some of the men rushed up the escape and let down a line, to which one of the branches was made fast. "Avast pumpin', number two!" shouted Baxmore from the midst of clouds of smoke that were bursting out from the window. Number two engine was stopped. Its branch was pulled up and pointed inside _straight at the fire_; the signal given, "Down with number two!" and a hiss was followed by volumes of steam.