PART 6
The flames spread rapidly, blocking the only exit to the hallway. The boys saw there was no way they could escape through the door.
"We hafta go out the window," said Dan.
"But we're on the second floor," Nat protested.
Smoke was filling the room. "No time for discussion," said Emil, and he went right to work smashing the remaining shards of window pane with a broken table leg. He peered over the sill. "We're in luck," he called. "The porch is right below us. We can land on its roof and climb down the posts."
Emil crawled through the window and planted one foot on the weathered shingles, which sagged slightly under his weight. He yelled back to the others. "The roof is in bad shape, so we're gonna have to go one at a time."
Tommy followed after Emil, and climbed down the post to safety. Dan was next. Nat hesitated at the window sill, nervously estimating the distance to the ground. "Come on, Nat," Tommy yelled. "Slide down!"
Nat froze.
Dan offered encouragement. "Remember how you finally overcame your fear of jumpin' into the river?" he said. "That bridge was a lot higher than that porch you're sittin' on right now."
Timidly, Nat set one foot, then the other, onto the shaky roof. With rigid movements he was able to bring himself to the top of the porch post and then slide down with the help of Tommy and Emil.
Dan slapped Nat on the shoulder. "See?" he said. "I knew you could do it!"
"What do we do now?" Tommy asked frantically.
"We'd better go get Nan back," said Emil.
"No!" Nat pleaded. "Remember, Will is carrying a gun."
"That's right," Dan spoke in a serious tone. "This time, it would be best to ask Mrs. Jo's help. We'd better start headin' back right now."
The boys ran as quickly as possible toward the path to Plumfield. Nat glanced briefly over his shoulder at the old house, now engulfed in flames, and saw the roof cave in on the second-story bedroom that had been the site of their storytelling.
PART 7
