"We don’t want the firemen here if we don’t need them," Murray was beginning, when the distant and familiar clang of a gong stopped the words upon his lips. In a moment more it became evident that a fire-engine and its train were upon them. Murray turned away, and started hurriedly up the stairs. At the approaching noises, which to the delicate child had always been peculiarly terrifying, little Shirley began to cry afresh. Jane gathered her up with an air of determination. "I’m going to take her to our house across the street," she said to the maid. "There’s no need of her staying here to be so frightened." The girl made no remonstrance. She was too excited to do more than bewail the absence of the other servants, and the misfortune of her having been left alone in charge. "I ’d just stepped out of the door a minute, miss," she explained, "to speak to a friend of mine that was passing. ’T was a mercy I left the door open, or the young gentleman couldn’t have----. There’s the gong!--There ’s the fire-engine!--Oh, my--but look at the crowd comin’ after ’em!" "Show me a side door where I can slip out, please," requested Jane hurriedly, and the maid obeyed. As the firemen ran in at the front door, Jane, with Shirley in her arms, hurried out at a low side entrance, from which a path through the shrubbery led to a gateway in the high hedge next the street. As she reached her own porch, the rest of her family came rushing out, having heard the commotion in the street. She almost ran into Nancy who stopped abruptly to stare at Jane’s burden. "Come back into the house with me, Nan," said Jane, quickly. "Here ’s our frightened little neighbour. The fire will soon be out, but I thought she’d be happier over here, for the family are all away." In the house she put Shirley down upon the couch in the front room, and the child, staring up, her big eyes full of tears and fright, beheld the face of the girl she had so longed to know smiling down at her. "This is splendid!" said Nancy Bell. "I’ve wanted to know you like everything, and now I ’ve got you right here in my own house. Won’t you let me help you get dressed? I ’d love to." Seeing that Nancy would be better for the shy little visitor than any number of older persons, Jane left the two together, and went out to see what was happening. It was very little. The fire-engine was already turning to leave, the driver grumbling at a needless alarm. "All out!" a voice was shouting, and the crowd was reluctantly pausing upon the edge of the lawn, disappointed that no further excitement was to be had. Upstairs the firemen had found the fire subdued to a mere dying smother of smoke, the efficient chemical having made quick work of the blaze, which had not had time to attack the walls of the room, but had been confined to its furnishings. Peter, his hands and clothes grimy, made light of the affair to Murray, who was looking in at the ruin of the room.