"Then that's something," said she, looking considerably relieved. "Whin can I get it?" "I will go with you to the bank to-morrow." "Thank you, Paul. And it's you that's a fine lad intirely." "All my pictures will burn up," said Jimmy. "You can draw some new ones," said Paul. "I am afraid, mother, you will never wear that new dress of yours." "It's a pity I bought it just at this time." "Here's a bundle I took from your room, Mrs. Hoffman," said a boy, pushing his way through the crowd. "My dress is safe, after all," said Mrs. Hoffman in surprise. "It is the only thing we shall save." "You can have it made up and wear it in remembrance of the fire, mother." "I shall be likely to remember that without." Meanwhile the fire department were working energetically to put out the fire. Stream after stream was directed against the burning building, but the fire had gained too great headway. It kept on its victorious course, triumphantly baffling all the attempts that were made to extinguish it. Then efforts were made to prevent its spreading to the neighboring buildings, and these were successful. But the building itself, old and rotten, a very tinderbox, was doomed. In less than an hour the great building, full as a hive of occupants, was a confused mass of smoking ruins. And still the poor people hovered around in uncertainty and dismay, in that peculiarly forlorn condition of mind induced by the thought that they knew not where they should lay their heads during the coming night. One family had saved only a teakettle to commence their housekeeping with. A little girl had pressed close to her breast a shapeless and dirty rag baby, her most valued possession. A boy of twelve had saved a well-used pair of skates, for which he had traded the day before, while an old woman, blear-eyed and wrinkled, hobbled about, groaning, holding in one hand a looking-glass, an article the most unlikely of all, one would think, to be of use to her. "Did you save nothing, Mrs. Donovan?" asked Paul. "Shure and I saved my flatirons, and my tub I threw out of the window, but some spalpeen has walked off with it. I wish it had fallen on his head. What'll my Pat say when he comes home from work?" "It's lucky no lives were lost." "Thrue for you, Mrs. Hoffman. It might have been a dale worse. I don't mind meself, for I've strong arms, and I'll soon be on my fate again. But my Pat'll be ravin'. He had just bought a new coat to go to a ball wid tomorrow night, and it's all burnt up in the fire. Do you see that poor craythur wid the lookin' glass? I'm glad I didn't save mine, for I wouldn't know what to do wid it." "Well, Mrs. Donovan, we must find a new home." "I've got a sister livin' in Mulberry street. She'll take me in till I can get time to turn round. But I must stay here till my Pat comes home, or he would think I was burnt up too."