Page:Betty Gordon in Washington.djvu/190

 CHAPTER XXII

BEING RESCUED

water struck the lady given to hysterics, and she promptly opened her mouth and shrieked again.

"We're drowning!" she cried, her terrified mind picturing a broken water pipe. "I tell you, we're drowning!"

"And I tell you we're not!" Betty stiffled a desire to laugh as one of the men contradicted her. "Some idiot&mdash;"

The crash of the water cooler against the top of the car as it slipped from the hands of the person holding it interrupted his assurance and weakened it hopelessly. A chorus of shrieks arose from those in the car.

"Well, there's your drink, Betty," grinned Bob, assisting the girls to crowd on to the one seat, for the floor was soaked with ice-cold water. "And here come your firemen—maybe they'll have better luck."

Some of the firemen went to the third floor and others obeyed orders to stay on the second.

"I'd say knock 'er down," said the grizzled old Rh