`` What mischief are you at now , bad child ? '' asked Nursey , with a good-natured shake , which made the sleeper open his eyes to say meekly , `` I only ran into Nat 's room to see him about something . Go away , and let me alone ; I 'm awful sleepy . '' Nursey tucked Demi in , and went off to reconnoitre , but only found two boys slumbering peacefully in Dan 's room . `` Some little frolic , '' she thought , and as there was no harm done she said nothing to Mrs. Bhaer , who was busy and worried over little Teddy . Tommy was sleepy , and telling Demi to mind his own business and not ask questions , he was snoring in ten minutes , little dreaming what was going on under his bed . The cigar did not go out , but smouldered away on the straw carpet till it was nicely on fire , and a hungry little flame went creeping along till the dimity bedcover caught , then the sheets , and then the bed itself . The beer made Tommy sleep heavily , and the smoke stupified Demi , so they slept on till the fire began to scorch them , and they were in danger of being burned to death . Franz was sitting up to study , and as he left the school-room he smelt the smoke , dashed up-stairs and saw it coming in a cloud from the left wing of the house . Without stopping to call any one , he ran into the room , dragged the boys from the blazing bed , and splashed all the water he could find at hand on to the flames . It checked but did not quench the fire , and the children wakened on being tumbled topsy-turvy into a cold hall , began to roar at the top of their voices . Mrs. Bhaer instantly appeared , and a minute after Silas burst out of his room shouting , `` Fire ! '' in a tone that raised the whole house . A flock of white goblins with scared faces crowded into the hall , and for a minute every one was panic-stricken . Then Mrs. Bhaer found her wits , bade Nursey see to the burnt boys , and sent Franz and Silas down-stairs for some tubs of wet clothes which she flung on the bed , over the carpet , and up against the curtains , now burning finely , and threatening to kindle the walls . Most of the boys stood dumbly looking on , but Dan and Emil worked bravely , running to and fro with water from the bath-room , and helping to pull down the dangerous curtains . The peril was soon over , and ordering the boys all back to bed , and leaving Silas to watch lest the fire broke out again , Mrs. Bhaer and Franz went to see how the poor boys got on . Demi had escaped with one burn and a grand scare , but Tommy had not only most of his hair scorched off his head , but a great burn on his arm , that made him half crazy with the pain . Demi was soon made cosy , and Franz took him away to his own bed , where the kind lad soothed his fright and hummed him to sleep as cosily as a woman . Nursey watched over poor Tommy all night , trying to ease his misery , and Mrs. Bhaer vibrated between him and little Teddy with oil and cotton , paregoric and squills , saying to herself from time to time , as if she found great amusement in the thought , `` I always knew Tommy would set the house on fire , and now he has done it ! ''
When Mr. XXXXX got home next morning he found a nice state of things .
Bhaer Franz Silas Tommy burn down-stairs fro left minutes squills