108 What the Squirrel Did for Richard.

Years after, when Richard grew to be twelve
years old, he went one time with his father to a
city fifty miles from his home, to spend a week.
They had a room on the fifth floor of a big, noisy
hotel. The boy had a fine time, for his father was
very kind to him, showing him everything, and
taking him about constantly. One night Richard,
being tired, went to bed at eight o'clock. His
father had gone for the evening, to see a gentle-
man on business. The boy had been asleep for
about an hour, when suddenly he woke up, feeling
choked, and found that the room was full of
smoke! Springing from his bed, he put on his
clothes and ran to the door, only to be met by still
thicker smoke, while below he could hear a roar-
ing noise, and the cries of frightened people!

Running then to the window, he looked out
into the street, five stories below. He knew that
if he jumped, it would kill him instantly, and he
also realized, poor boy, that if he stayed where he
was, he would surely be burned to death, for he
could see the angry flames bursting out from the
lower windows of the hotel.