"This is a play day, so the kiddies
are not in school."
"I'm going to the fire," decided Mother Gray-mouse. "Perhaps I can help.
Get some buckets, Limpy-toes. I will call Scamper, Buster, Wink, and
Wiggle. We cannot let the village burn up."
Most of the woodfolk were at the fire. Some poured on pails of water from
the Lake; other groups stood talking wildly as they watched the leaping
flames.
"I wish we had engines and hose-reels like the Giant fire-men used when
the barn was on fire," sighed Silver Ears.
Uncle Squeaky ran here, there, and everywhere; filling pails, pouring
water, beating burning bushes with Mother Graymouse's best broom, and
shouting excited orders to the crowd of scared woodland folk.
The fire crept nearer to Wild Rose Cottage.
"It will be a shame if Dr. Whiskers loses his new house," said Sir Spider.
"He shall not lose it," replied Uncle Squeaky. "I'll set a back fire." He
rushed into the house and got a pawful of matches. Then he set fire to the
little bushes behind Grand-daddy's house.
"Neighbor Squeaky has gone crazy!" declared Sir Spider to Daddy
Grasshopper. But as they watched him beat the burning bushes to a
blackened mass, they saw that Uncle Squeaky knew what he was doing.
Pages:
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40