Of late he had headed a department at Boxwood Hall, and the boys were glad of this, for he proved as good a friend to them there as he had afield on their various trips. They had left him at Boxwood, about three weeks before, quietly and peacefully cataloging some of his insects, and now they beheld him in the midst of considerable excitement. The professor seldom sent word that he was coming. He just came. “Look!” suddenly cried Jerry, as he and his chums stood watching the blaze. “What’s the idea over there?” and he pointed to where some firemen were raising a ladder at the still unburned end of the blazing tenement. “Looks like a rescue,” observed Ned. “That’s what it is,” said Bob. “They’re taking down an old woman!” “And some children!” added Jerry. This was what was going on. Two families, in the top story of the end of the structure not yet directly on fire, had either been overlooked in the other rescues, or they had hidden away in fear, and were not seen. Now some one had either told of them, or the unfortunates had been seen at the windows, and a call was given for a ladder. One was raised against the wall, and two firemen went up. They succeeded in bringing down the woman and the children, who had been trapped when the stairs burned away. A cheer greeted the plucky efforts of the firemen, for the rescue was not an easy one. Ned, Bob and Jerry joined in the tribute. All around was the crackle of flames, and thick clouds of smoke rolled here and there, smarting eyes and choking throats. The throbbing and puffing of the steamers mingled with the shouts and orders that flew back and forth. Suddenly a cry arose at the far end of the burning tenement; the end that could not longer be held back from the flames. The three chums ran to where the cry sounded, and observed, leaning out of a second story window on the end of the house, an old man. Smoke poured from the window back of him, and behind him could be seen the ruddy flames, ever coming nearer. “Another one they’ve forgotten,” cried Ned. “Or else he hid away, or has been unconscious,” added Bob. “They’ve got to get him soon!” exclaimed Jerry. But the firemen, and there were none too many of them even with the whole department out, were busy elsewhere. Some were attending the nozzles, others were helping at the engines and some were still carrying to places of safety the women and children brought down from the front of the blazing structure. “We’ve got to get him down!” cried Jerry. “If we only had a ladder!” added Ned. “Here’s one!” shouted Bob, and he pointed to a short one that had been thrown on the ground, evidently as of no use in reaching the women and children who were taken from the floor higher up. “Will it reach?” asked Ned. “We’ve got to try,” Jerry yelled. “Bring it over!”