As they were speaking there came a sudden outburst of bells in various parts of the city and simultaneously they heard the hoarse croaking of a whistle down by the waterfront. "Fire," said Vandover indifferently. Ellis was already fumbling in his pockets, keeping count of the strokes. "That's one," he exclaimed, pulling out and studying his list of alarm-boxes, "and one-two-three, that's three and one-two-three-_four_, one thirty-four. Let's see now! That's Bush and Hyde streets, not very far off," and he returned his card to the inside pocket of his coat as though he had accomplished a duty. He lit a cigar. "I wonder now," he said, hesitating. "I guess I better not smoke in here. I'll go outside and get a mouthful of smoke before the girls come down." He went out and Vandover sat down to the cheap piano and played his three inevitable pieces, the two polkas and the air of the topical song; but he was interrupted by Ellis, who opened the door, crying out: "Oh, come out here and see the _fire_, will you? Devil of a blaze!" Vandover ran out and saw a great fan-shaped haze of red through the fog over the roofs of the houses. "Oh, say, girls," he shouted, jumping back to the foot of the stairs; "Ida, Bessie, there's a fire. Just look out of your windows. Hark, there go the engines." Bessie came tearing down the stairs and out on the front steps, where the two fellows were standing hatless. "Where? Oh, show me where! O-o-oh, sure enough! That's a _big_ fire. Just hear the engines. _Oh, let's go_!" "Sure; come on, let's go!" exclaimed Vandover. "Tell Ida to hurry up." "Oh, Ida," cried Bessie up the stairs, "there's an awful big fire right near here, and we're going." "Oh, wait!" shouted Ida, her mouth full of pins. "I had to change my waist. Oh, _do_ wait for me. Where is it _at_? Please wait; I'm coming right down in just a minute." "Hurry up, hurry up!" cried Vandover. "It will be all out by the time we get there. I'm coming up to help." "No, no, no!" she screamed. "Don't; you rattle me. I'm all mixed up. Oh, _darn_ it, I can't find my czarina!"