Firefighter Freddie's Busy Day

Freddie the firefighter wanted just one thing today: to eat his jam sandwich before the bell rang.

He sat down at the fire station. He picked up the sandwich. Clang! Clang! The bell rang.

"Oh, bother," said Freddie. He put the sandwich in his hat and ran to the big red truck.

First, a kitten was stuck up an apple tree. Freddie climbed the ladder, up, up, up. The kitten hopped onto his shoulder and purred in his ear. Down they came.

Then a boy's kite was caught on a roof. Freddie stretched out with a long pole and gave a gentle tug. Down floated the kite, like a leaf.

"Thank you, Freddie!" said the boy.

"All in a day's work," said Freddie. Then his tummy rumbled. Grrrumble!

Clang! Clang! The bell rang again. A puddle had grown so big that it covered the whole road. Cars could not get by. Freddie unrolled his hose and tried to squirt the water away. It only splashed back on his boots.

"That did not work," said Freddie. "Let me try something different."

He looked around. He noticed a drain beside the kerb, full of leaves. He knelt down and pulled the leaves out, one big wet handful at a time. Gloop! The water swirled and gurgled and slid down the drain, until the road was dry.

"All in a day's work," said Freddie, and he laughed, because his socks squelched.

Back at the station, the sun was getting low and pink. Freddie sat down on the step. He lifted off his hat.

The sandwich was flat as a pancake. A little jam had dribbled onto his hat. Freddie did not mind. The kitten was sitting on the step beside him, licking the jam from his hat brim.

"Well," said Freddie, "I'll share."

He broke the sandwich in two. He ate one half. The kitten sniffed the other. The station was quiet at last, and all Freddie could hear was the kitten purring, and his own happy chewing.