Page:Dapples of the Circus (1943).pdf/178

 Finally Freckles, in his mad search, stumbled on a groom who had seen him.

"I am afraid he is in the building, boy," he said. "I saw him there, and tried to get him out, but he would not come. He was as spunky as a mule. So I said to him, 'Stay and burn if you want to, you little fool.

A cordon of rope surrounded the burning building, and several bluecoats stood around it, perhaps thirty feet apart.

"Whereabouts in the building was he?" asked Freckles, feigning not to care.

"In the third stall at this end. He is not far from the door, but the roof is liable to fall in any minute."

The groom turned to speak to one of the policemen, and Freckles slipped under the rope.

"Here, here, boy. What are you doing? Come back! For God's sake, come back," cried the policeman. "It is sure death to go in there."

Freckles paid no attention to this warn-