ruined."

"This is a very sensible feller," said Bill, and though Puddin'
objected strongly, he was at once pushed into a log and securely
fastened in with a large stone.

"How'd you like to be shoved in a blooming log," he shouted at
Bill, "when you was burning with anxiety to see the fire?" but
Bill said severely, "Be sensible, Albert, fires is too dangerous
to Puddins' flavours."

No more time was lost in seizing the hose and they set off with
the greatest enthusiasm. For, as everyone knows, running with the
reel is one of the grand joys of being a fireman. They had the
hose fixed to a garden tap in no time, and soon were all hard at
work, putting out the fire.

Of course there was a great deal of smoke and shouting, and getting
tripped up by the hose, and it was by the merest chance Bunyip
Bluegum glanced back in time to see the Wombat in the act of
stealing the Puddin' from the hollow log.

"Treachery is at work," he shouted.

"Treachery," roared Bill, and with one blow on the snout knocked
the Fireman endways on into the burning cinders, where his helmet
fell off, and exposed the countenance of that snooting, snouting
scoundrel, the Possum.

The Possum, of course, hadn't expected to have his disguise pierced