The citizens of the town went back to their beds. Mrs. Gerry and her
children had recovered consciousness and had found a friendly lodging
for the night.
The rescue performed by Tom and Harry had been a simple enough
achievement.
Shut off from every other means of escape, they remembered the
dumbwaiter that ran from the kitchen up to the floors above.
The two little children were sent down on the dumb-waiter, Harry riding
on the top of the wooden frame. Mrs. Gerry's rescue was delayed until
Harry could send the dumb-waiter up to the third floor, where she and
Tom awaited its return. Aided by Tom, she descended to the kitchen
without accident; then Tom followed, sliding down the rope. It was but
the work of a moment to break through the basement window and pass the
woman and her children out to safety.
Morning found Proprietor Carter somewhat resigned to his loss. True,
the hotel had been destroyed and the embers must be removed, but both
building and contents had been fairly well insured.
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