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I drummed on Betsy's and Miss Matthews' and Miss Snaith's doors； just as Mr。 Witherspoon； who had also been wakened by the light； came tumbling upstairs three steps at a time； struggling into an overcoat as he ran。
〃Get all the children down to the dining room； babies first；〃 I gasped。 〃I'll turn in the alarm。〃
He dashed on up to the third floor while I ran to the telephoneand oh； I thought I'd never get Central！ She was sound asleep。
〃The John Grier Home is burning！ Turn in the fire alarm and rouse the village。 Give me 505；〃 I said。
In one second I had the doctor。 Maybe I wasn't glad to hear his cool； unexcited voice！
〃We're on fire！〃 I cried。 〃Come quick； and bring all the men you can！〃
〃I'll be there in fifteen minutes。 Fill the bathtubs with water and put in blankets。〃 And he hung up。
I dashed back to the hall。 Betsy was ringing our fire bell； and Percy had already routed out his Indian tribes in dormitories B and C。
Our first thought was not to stop the fire； but to get the children to a place of safety。 We began in G； and went from crib to crib； snatching a baby and a blanket； and rushing them to the door； and handing them out to the Indians； who lugged them downstairs。 Both G and F were full of smoke； and the children so dead asleep that we couldn't rouse them to a walking state。
Many times during the next hour did I thank Providenceand Percy Witherspoonfor those vociferous fire drills we have suffered weekly。 The twenty…four oldest boys； under his direction； never lost their heads for a second。 They divided into four tribes； and sprang to their posts like little soldiers。
Two tribes helped in the work of clearing the dormitories and keeping the terrified children in order。 One tribe worked the hose from the cupola tank until the firemen came； and the rest devoted themselves to salvage。 They spread sheets on the floor； dumped the contents of lockers and bureau drawers into them； and bundled them down the stairs。 All of the extra clothes were saved except those the children had actually been wearing the day before； and most of the staff's things。 But clothes； bedding everything belonging to G and F went。 The rooms were too full of smoke to make it safe to enter after we had got out the last child。
By the time the doctor arrived with Luellen and two neighbors he had picked up； we were marching the last dormitory down to the kitchen； the most remote corner from the fire。 The poor chicks were mainly barefooted and wrapped in blankets。 We told them to bring their clothes when we wakened them； but in their fright they thought only of getting out。
By this time the halls were so full of smoke we could scarcely breathe。 It looked as though the whole building would go； though the wind was blowing away from my west wing。
Another automobile full of retainers from Knowltop came up almost immediately； and they all fell to fighting the fire。 The regular fire department didn't come for ten minutes after that。 You see； they have only horses； and we are three miles out； and the roads pretty bad。 It was a dreadful night； cold and sleety； and such a wind blowing that you could scarcely stand up。 The men climbed out on the roof； and worked in their stocking feet to keep from slipping off。 They beat out the sparks with wet blankets； and chopped； and squirted that tankful of water； and behaved like heroes。
The doctor meanwhile took charge of the children。 Our first thought was to get them away to a place of safety； for if the whole building should go； we couldn't march them out of doors into that awful wind； with only their night clothes and blankets for protection。 By this time several more automobiles full of men had come； and we requisitioned the cars。
Knowltop had providentially been opened for the week end in order to entertain a house party in honor of the old gentleman's sixty…seventh birthday。 He was one of the first to arrive； and he put his entire place at our disposal。 It was the nearest refuge； and we accepted it instantaneously。 We bundled our twenty littlest tots into cars； and ran them down to the house。 The guests； who were excitedly dressing in order to come to the fire； received the chicks and tucked them away into their own beds。 This pretty well filled up all the available house room； but Mr。 Reimer （Mr。 Knowltop's family name） has just built a big new stucco barn； with a garage hitched to it； all nicely heated； and ready for us。
After the babies were disposed of in the house； those helpful guests got to work and fixed the barn to receive the next older kiddies。 They covered the floor with hay； and spread blankets and carriage robes over it； and bedded down thirty of the children in rows like little calves。 Miss Matthews and a nurse went with them； administered hot milk all around； and within half an hour the tots were sleeping as peacefully as in their little cribs。
But meanwhile we at the house were having sensations。 The doctor's first question upon arrival had been：
〃You've counted the children？ You know they're all here？〃
〃We've made certain that every dormitory was empty before we left it；〃 I replied。
You see； they couldn't be counted in that confusion。 Twenty or so of the boys were still in the dormitories； working under Percy Witherspoon to save clothing and furniture； and the older girls were sorting over bushels of shoes and trying to fit them to the little ones； who were running about underfoot and wailing dismally。
Well； after we had loaded and despatched about seven car loads of children； the doctor suddenly called out：
〃Where's Allegra？〃
There was a horrified silence。 No one had seen her。 And then Miss Snaith stood up and SHRIEKED。 Betsy took her by the shoulders； and shook her into coherence。
It seems that she had thought Allegra was coming down with a cough； and in order to get her out of the cold； had moved her crib from the fresh air nursery into the store roomand then forgotten it。
Well； my dear； you know where the store room is！ We simply stared at one another with white faces。 By this time the whole east wing was gutted and the third…floor stairs in flames。 There didn't seem a chance that the child was still alive。 The doctor was the first to move。 He snatched up a wet blanket that was lying in a soppy pile on the floor of the hall and sprang for the stairs。 We yelled to him to come back。 It simply looked like suicide； but he kept on； and disappeared into the smoke。 I dashed outside and shouted to the firemen on the roof。 The store room window was too little for a man to go through； and they hadn't opened it for fear of creating a draft。
I can't describe what happened in the next agonizing ten minutes。 The third…floor stairs fell in with a crash and a burst of flame about five seconds after the doctor passed over them。 We had given him up for lost when a shout went up from the crowd on the lawn； and he appeared for an instant at one of those dormer windows in the attic； and called for the firemen to put up a ladder。 Then he disappeared； and it seemed to us that they'd never get that ladder in place； but they finally did； and two men went up。 The opening of the window had cre