Jack thought; he really took no risk, and had he held back he would
never have forgiven himself for allowing prudence to sap his desire to
render assistance.

Now for the window again. He looked around him in vain. His eyes were
blinded by the smoke so that he could not tell in which direction he
must go in order to come upon the exit.

Baffled in this one respect, that of vision, Jack turned to another of
his senses. He knew there must be a draught setting toward the
opening, from which smoke was pouring so heavily. So he set to work
endeavoring to learn which way the air moved, knowing that in this
fashion he could grope his way to the exit.

Those outside were becoming a bit worried. No doubt seconds had been
magnified into minutes in their minds, and they began to have fears
that something had happened to the daring lad who had ventured within
the building. Every eye remained glued upon the place of his
disappearance.

Joel had before then succeeded in reaching the open window, where he
crouched and waited, occasionally peering in as if half tempted to
crawl through the gap after Jack.

He had hard work contenting himself to remain there on his precarious
perch; indeed, only that he did not wish to seem to be interfering
with Jack's plans Joel certainly would have ventured across the window
sill. Unable to beep silent any longer, he finally gave a loud shout:

"This way out, Jack! Here's the window, over this way!"