afraid of it. Most wild animals are afraid of fire, but Tum Tum was tame
now, and he knew that though fire burns, it also does good, in cooking
food, even for animals. Besides, Tum Tum had seen so much of fire, since
he had come to the circus, and had seen so many flaring lamps at the
night performances, that he was not afraid of just a blazing peanut
wagon.

"I'm sorry to see all those peanuts burned up," thought Tum Tum. "I
wonder if I can't save them--maybe I'll get some for myself, if I do."

Tum Tum thought quickly. There was a great deal of excitement around
him, for the straw was now blazing in many places and the peanuts and
wagon were all in flames.

"Come away, Tum Tum!" called his keeper.

"Fire! Fire! Fire!" yelled the peanut man.

"Bring water here, somebody!" shouted another man.

"Get a pail! Get a pail!" one of the boys yelled.

"Call out the fire engines!" said another.

But Tum Tum knew a better way than that. His trunk was just like a hose,
only, of course, not so long. He could suck it up full of water, and
squirt it out again, just like a pop gun shoots out a cork. And that was
what Tum Tum did.

He put his trunk into the tub of water, and sucked up as much as he
could. Then Tum Tum aimed his trunk right at the blazing peanut wagon
and the straw.

Whooo-ish! went the water, as Tum Tum squirted it out of his trunk. On
the fire it spattered.

Hiss-s-s-s-s! went the fire, like an angry snake.

"Ha! That's the way to do it, Tum Tum!" cried his keeper. "You know how
to put out a fire! That's the way. You're as good as a fire engine
yourself!"

Tum Tum did not answer. In the first place, he could not talk to his
keeper except in elephant language, which the circus man did not
understand. And, in the second place, Tum Tum was going to suck up more
water in his nose, for the fire was not quite out yet. And you know it
is hard to talk when you have your nose full of water, even if you are
an elephant.

Whooo-ish! went more water from Tum Tum's trunk on the blazing peanut
wagon and straw.

Hiss! went the fire again, as it felt the wet water. Fire does not like
water, you know.

"Once more, Tum Tum! One more trunk full, and you'll have the fire out!"
cried the elephant's keeper.

Again Tum Tum dipped his trunk into the tub of water, and spurted it on
the fire.

This time the fire went out completely. Tum Tum had made it so wet, with
water from his trunk, that it could no longer burn.