"No matter--no good!" cried the colonel. "Keep back with those buckets! Who knows where they fitted the valve to turn this off?" There was no answer, and the place now grew light; the woodwork began to blaze, the canvas to emit huge clouds of smoke, and the men around kept on making dashes in to try and find the lad who had entered the burning wreck. It was all plain enough to see; the broken gas-pipe was flaring on the shattered woodwork of the orchestra, and this and the tables and chairs upon which it had fallen were burning fiercely, and lighting up the crowd of soldiers, officers, guests, and ladies who, less hurt than their companions, were fascinated by the scene. "There's a man in there burning," shouted the colonel--"perhaps two. Volunteers, follow me!" He led the brave fellows, who sprang forward right into the fire and smoke; but they were beaten back, scorched and blinded, and an awful silence fell upon the crowd, while the woodwork crackled and sputtered and the gas-main sent forth its great waving pillar of flame, roaring with a sonorous note; and all felt that the scarlet-coated figure they had seen leap in had gone to his death. Just then up came, running, several men dragging the fire-engine hose, led by one bearing the bright copper branch. "Now pump!" shouted an officer; but the order was checked by a yell of "No!" as the back of a figure was suddenly seen leaning toward them; then a couple of steps were taken, and it was seen that whoever it was had hold of another's arm, and was dragging him out. With a cheer, half a dozen men--one of whom was Jerry--sprang in through the burning woodwork, and dragged both out into safety, to be borne directly after--just recognisable as a bandsman and an officer--through the mess-room to where the doctors were hard at work, but so far without having had one serious case. Dick was the first to come to, just as the colonel hurried in for a few moments to inquire how the two injured men were, and came up to where the doctor was kneeling by the young fellow, applying cottonwool and oil to his burned hands. "How is he?" said the colonel, anxiously. "Ask him," said the doctor, shortly; "he can speak for himself--can't you, my lad?" "Oh, yes, sir. My hands smart a good deal; but how is that man I ran back to get out?" "You ran back to get him out, my lad?" said the colonel. "Yes; I kicked against him. He was pinned down by some trestles and a tent-pole," said Dick, speaking in a feverish, excited way. "Do tell me how he is." "Rather bad yet, so one of my colleagues says," replied the doctor. The colonel hurried across the room to where two doctors were attending the officer, who was giving them great cause for anxiety, for he had been burned a good deal about one side of the head, and had been so nearly suffocated that a long course of the treatment used for the apparently drowned had been necessary before he began to breathe regularly again.