"
"I have been unavoidably detained," replied Grant. "Let us about it at
once."
"I have got the fire-balls with me," observed Hubert.
"It is well," returned Grant.
Quitting the cathedral, they proceeded to Thames-street, and tracking it
to Fish-street-hill, struck off on the right into an alley that brought
them to Pudding-lane.
"This is the house," said Chowles, halting before a two-storied wooden
habitation, over the door of which was suspended the sign of the "Wheat
Sheaf, with the name THOMAS FARRYNER, BAKER, inscribed beneath it.
"And here," said Hubert, "shall begin the great fire of London."
As he said this, he gave a fire-ball to Solomon Eagle, who lighted the
fuze at Chowles's lantern. The enthusiast then approached a window of
the baker's shop, and breaking a small pane of glass within it, threw
the fire-ball into the room. It alighted upon a heap of chips and fagots
lying near a large stack of wood used for the oven, and in a few minutes
the whole pile had caught and burst into a flame, which, quickly
mounting to the ceiling, set fire to the old, dry, half-decayed timber
that composed it.
II.
THE FIRST NIGHT OF THE FIRE.
Having seen the stack of wood kindled, and the flames attack the
building in such a manner as to leave no doubt they would destroy it,
the incendiaries separated, previously agreeing to meet together in half
an hour at the foot of London Bridge; and while the others started off
in different directions, Chowles and Judith retreated to a neighbouring
alley commanding a view of the burning habitation.
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