84 Union Square Jim 



closed. A few vigorous blows opened it, and the 

 water was found to be as high in the room as outside. 

 At first Jim was invisible ; but at length he was dis- 

 covered, perched upon a bracket, and very disconso- 

 late. George *gave a great shout, seized his pet, and 

 hurried back. An anxious crowd was awaiting him ; 

 and when he appeared triumphantly bearing Jim in 

 his arms, a shout arose that drowned even the noise 

 of the fire. 



The terrible experience through which he passed 

 taught Jim what fire was. The engines never went 

 thundering by the theatre, on the way to some con- 

 flagration, without arousing him thoroughly. Any 

 sudden flaming of a gas-jet always caught his atten- 

 tion. He once sprang at a basin of red fire that 

 was being ignited in the wings. In fact, Jim became 

 a veritable fireman. This greatly amused George, 

 and all others about the theatre. When nothing 

 better was on hand, they would coax Jim into some 

 entrance which was closed during the day and light 

 a fuse in his presence. He would gravely watch the 

 match, start at sight of the hissing flame running 

 along the floor, and then leap frantically after it. 



