The Democratic advocate., 1909-05-28
Cap the Fire D0q.

Cap had lived with the firemen ever
since he could remember He had
been brought to the station when he
was only a little puppy, and every
fireman loved him and declared that
Cap was the wisest dog that he had
ever seen
One fireman had taught Cap to
stand on his back feet and say, Bow
WOW whenever he was hungry. An
other fireman had taught him to
scratch the iloor below the water fau-
Get and bark whenever he was thirsty.
He could walk on his back feet,
drink from the fire hose, and drag the
have about wherever he was told to
do So
The chief OF the fire department
said that Cap could 40 more tricks"
than any dog be had ever seen, and
the best one of all he had learned to
do without ever having been told how
to do It,
The firemen slept upstairs over the
station In long rows OF white beds.
and, whenever the FIRE ben rang In the
night, the firemeu would spring from
their beds, dress before you could say
Jack Robinson" run to the four
large holes In the door, and come
sliding down the poles one after an
other; then thsy would run TO the
horses, which at the sound Of the bell
had found their places In front OF the
engine. the hose-caft, the hook-and-
ladder wagon. and the chiefs cart.
buckls on the harness, and each Are
man would spring into place ready TO
drive away 70 the fire.
Cap longed to slide down the poles
az the firemen did. but OF course that
was something no dog could do. So
II he happened to be upstairs. as he
often was, when the bell rang IN the
daytime. he would run 70 the stairway.
clear the steps at three bounds, and
spring to his place on the seat beside
the chief
But at night Cap stayed downstairs,
sleeping very near the telephone and
fire bell: and. when the alarm sound
ed, the flremen would hear Caps loud
@BOw-wow I" almost az soon as they
heard the bell, and. no matter how
quickly they dressed. they would al
ways End Cap In his place ahead Of
them.
"iIe II the best fireman IN the sta
ton" the chief would sometimes say
''IIe Is always dressed and ready for
work" And the firemen would laugh
and pat Caps head. and say that, n
they slept In their clothes AZ Cap did,
they, too. would be ready In their
places In one minute.
But no fireman ever slept after the
bell rang. and noS una OF them was
ever known TO say. wait a minute. .
or. Il am too sleepy 10 60" Even
the horses would run 10 their places
tho instant they heard the bell so
Cap thought q bis place to do the
same.
One night there waa o great storm.
and something happened 10 the teie-
/ phone and FIRE BELLS. 80 that they could
/ not ring; aud. In the night time. when
all was dark aud asiil and all the Are
men and Gre horses were sound
asleep. houAe caught are, and the
I policeman on tho street corner ran 10
/ the telephone TO call the flremsn out.
The fire beil tried ita best 10 ring.
but instead uf a loud ~Ding-a-Iing.
/ u could Say nothing more than ''Bx-z' .
Not fireman heard H.
/ Not even FIRE horse moved.
'Iig-E-z :" said the bell again. and
suddenly Cap opened his eyes. and
Rith y loud sHaow -wowlwow r. spranK
90 hiR place Ia thcehiefs cart
Tho hremen rolled out Of their beds.
and each one asked did yon hear
that Did the tire boil ring r And
/ the answer came mo. II was only
Cap barking: but be II certainly say
I ina IRE We had better dreaa and
slide down and see about H."
-Bow-vow bow-wow-wow :" bark
ed Cap.
| "n.z-z-alr said the bell iust m the
frHi fireman came sliding down the
pole
rFire,s shouted ths fireman. .cap
was right Come on,r And IN \
moment there was \ Gathering OF
many hoaie M the flre hurscs dashed
70 their places, the llngling Of har.
meas as Il dropped into place on the
horses backs. shouts of Fire, keen
out Of the street," from tho police.
man In front of the station. and
"clang, clang. clang" from the gongp
Of the engine. the hose cart, the hook.
nnd-indder wagon. and the chiefs cart
rs they dashed away down the street
The Ere wAa soon found and puI
out; and, when the people who lived
In the burning house came out Il
thank the hrefnen. the chief patted
Cap on the head and said "Do moi
thank uA. Thpnk Cap. He Is this
best fireman of Us all. And Cap
who had never for one moment ceased
his Bow wow-wowt" waKRed his tai
and said. dog fashion. y did the besi
III coeld, but ! am not fireman.
am onty Cap, the FIRE dog ~ Fdna Ey.
erett, IN Kindergarten Review