Felix slept at the back of the house; her
knock did not waken him, but her entrance startled both him and
Lance.
'Felix, the Fortinbras Arms is on fire.--Hush, Lance; take care; the
little ones and Mamma! O Felix, do come to our room.'
They followed her there in a few seconds, but they had only glanced
from the window before they simultaneously rushed away, to the
increased dismay of their sisters, to whom their manly instinct of
rushing into the fray had not occurred.
'I'll go down. I'll try to catch them,' said Wilmet; and she too was
gone before Cherry could call to her. She found that Felix and Mr.
Audley were in the act of undoing the front door, and this gave her
just time to fly down with the entreaty that Felix would not leave
them. It was a great deal more to ask of him than she knew.
'To the end of the street I must go, Wilmet,' he said.
'Oh! but Cherry is so frightened! and if Mamma wakes,' she said,
gasping.
'It is all quiet in her room,' said Felix.
'Tell Cherry there is no danger at all here now,' said Mr. Audley;
'but if it makes her happier you may dress her. Don't disturb your
mother. If needful, we will carry her out in her bed; but I do not
think it will be.
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