whom Mr. Blackett still provided with a home, doing what he could to
stay the progress of the flames, by throwing upon the burning
staircase little pailfuls of water brought by the maid servants. But,
in truth most of the women were screaming, and those who were not were
fainting.

"I'm almost moidered with it all," the old fellow cried helplessly, to
which the superannuated gardener, who now came wheezing in, added,
"Aye, we're both on us moidered."

George glanced at the futile old couple, then cast his eye upwards, to
the various stretches of the grand staircase which could be seen from
the well below. Almost every length of the banisters was blazing, and
the cracked and broken skylight above caused a fierce upward draught.

"It's at the top the water should be poured down," George cried,
taking in the situation in an instant. "I'll see if I can get up." And
in spite of the shouts of the old fellows, and the redoubled shrieks
of the maids, the lad skipped up two or three of the flights that
zigzagged up the staircase well.

At the second floor, however, he was almost overwhelmed by a great
mass of smoke mingled with flame that shot suddenly out of the long
corridor running right and left. Blinded, choked, scorched, George
staggered back, tripped, and with a clatter fell down the six or eight
steps he had mounted of that flight, and lay for a moment on the broad
carpeted landing half-dazed. But speedily recovering himself, he
perceived that the portion of the stairs from which he had just fallen
was now blazing fiercely.