NOVEMBER 6: The Clever Fire Horses
“The fire,” began daddy, “was in a deserted barn on the very outskirts of the town. It was quite near some houses and an inn. So the firemen wanted to do all they could to keep fire from spreading to the houses, for there was quite a high wind. No one minded if the old barn burnt, for it really was of no use to any one, and the owner of it never bothered to keep it up at all.
“But the fire-engine horses made an awful fuss. They heard, what the firemen didn’t hear, one of their own kind crying for help in horse language.
“They tried to break from the engines and kicked their heels and made a lot of commotion. They shook their heads and made all sorts of funny sounds.
“Finally one of the firemen said:
“‘I have a suspicion that the horses hear something in that barn, and I am going in to investigate, for maybe there is something alive inside. I have never known these horses to make a mistake.’
“So he went in through a broken window, and when he got inside he found a horse trembling with fear at seeing the flames.
“The old fireman unbolted the back door of the barn where the fire had not as yet spread and led the horse out. Then you should have seen the fire-engine horses. They were so happy that the old horse had been saved.
“But just at that moment an old man came running out of the inn and crying: ‘Oh, save my horse! He’s in that barn!’
“And when he saw that his horse had been saved he went over and put his head on the horse’s mane, and the horse neighed contentedly.
“The old man had stopped at the inn for the night, and there they had told him he could safely keep his horse in the old barn.
“‘Oh, I am so grateful to you!’ said the old man to the firemen. ‘I love my horse like a very real friend. How can I ever thank you?’
“‘We’re not the ones to thank,’ said the fireman who had gone in the barn when the fire horses had seemed so excited. ‘Our horses saved your horse’s life.’”