A. CATASTROPHE. ' L 205

'v Vt

•with one toe projecting over space, still stirring his latha^toaeon-
sciously, and saying not a word. >v-»-'-:' *

When George Ealer saw the chimneys plunging aloft in front of
him, he knew what the matter was; so be muffled his face in the
lapels of his coat, and
pressed both hands
there tightly to keep
this protection in its
place so that no steam
co ild get to his nose
or mouth. He had
ample time to attend to
these details while he
was going up and re-
turning. He presently
landed on top of the
un^xploded boilers, forty
feet below the former
pilot-house, accompanied
by his wheel and a rain
of other stuff, and en-
veloped in a cloud of
scalding steam. All of
the many who breathed
that steam, died ; none
escaped. But Ealer
breathed none of it. He
made his way to the
free air as quickly as he
could; and when the
steam cleared away he
returned and climbed

up on the boilers again, BALER SAVES HIS

and patiently hunlbed

out each and every one of his chessmen and the several joints of
his flute.

By this time the fire was beginning to threaten. Shrieks and