THE FIRE! THE FIRE!

Mrs Abba was busy tidying her room when the maid, a very stupid girl, rushed hastily into the room and shouted loudly in an excited voice, Fire, Fire! The kitchen is on fire!'

  Mrs Abba got up quickly, and she and the  girl ran as fast as they could to the kitchen.

  Look there, shouted the girl, pointing to the leaping flames.

She had carelessly left some dry wood near the fire and this had caught fire and was blazing hard.

Mrs Abba saw a big pot of boiling water on the top of the stove.

 

 You silly girl,' she said. Why didn't you throw that on the burning wood? That would have put out the fire quickly.'

  Oh, no,' said the girl slowly. That water would be useless; it's hot water.'