Ladies, fetch your cloaks and wraps preparatory to breaking up our pleasant little party. Who volunteers to assist the ladies? MALLORY. I, sir! SAUNDERS. I, sir! REGINALD. I do! QUECKETT. I do! RANKLING. Mr. Mallory, tell off Mr. Queckett and Mr. Jenkinson to help the ladies. [_The girls run out, followed by Reginald, Queckett, and Jane._] RANKLING. Mr. Mallory! Mr. Saunders! MALLORY AND SAUNDERS. Yes, sir. RANKLING. Our respective coats. [_They bustle about to get their coats as the door quietly opens and Jaffray, a fireman, appears._] JAFFRAY. Good evening, gentlemen. Can you tell me where I'll find the ladies? MALLORY. They're putting on their hats and cloaks. JAFFRAY. Thank you, gentlemen, I'm much obliged to you. [_He goes to the window, pulls up the blind, and throws the window open, the top of a ladder is seen against the balcony._] Are you coming up, Mr. Goff? GOFF. [_Out of sight._] Yes, Mr. Jaffray. [_Goff, a middle-aged, jolly-looking fireman, enters by the balcony and the window. _] JAFFRAY. Gentlemen, Mr. Goff--one of the oldest and most respected members of the Brigade. Mr. Goff tells some most interesting stories, gentlemen. RANKLING. [_Impatiently._] Stories, sir! Call the ladies, Mr. Mallory. [_Mallory goes out._] GOFF. I shouldn't hurry them, sir--ladies like to take their time. Now I remember an instance in October, '78-- RANKLING. Confound it, sir, you're not going to relate anecdotes now! JAFFRAY. I beg your pardon, sir, Mr. Goff is one of the most experienced and entertaining members of the Brigade. RANKLING. I tell you I don't care about that just now! Where are the ladies? [_Saunders goes out._] JAFFRAY. Excuse me sir, Mr. Goff's reminiscences are well worth hearing while you wait. RANKLING. But I don't wish to wait! [_Mallory and Peggy, Saunders and Gwendoline, Reginald and Dinah, followed by Jane, enter. The girls are hastily attired in all sorts of odd apparel and carrying bonnet-boxes, parcels, and small hand-bags. Ermyntrude carries, amongst other things, a cage of white mice, Gwendoline a bird in a cage, and Dinah a black cat, and Peggy a pair of skates and a brush and comb._] THE GIRLS. We're ready. Take us away! JAFFRAY. I must really ask you, ladies and gentlemen, to take it quietly for a few minutes. ALL. Take it quietly! What for? JAFFRAY. The staircase isn't just the thing for ladies and gentlemen at the present moment. I shall have to ask the ladies and gentlemen to use the Escape. ALL. [_Turning to the window._] The Escape! is it? Where? JAFFRAY. It'll be here in two minutes. In the meantime, I think Mr. Goff could wile away the time very pleasantly with a reminiscence or two. Ladies, Mr. Goff-- THE GIRLS. Oh, take us away! Take us away! [_Mallory, Saunders, and Reginald soothe the ladies, Jaffray goes to the window and looks out._] GOFF.