Smoke was rising from the barge.
Bobbie climbed onto the barge and then Peter did too.
But he slipped and fell into the canal.
The water was up to Peter's neck!
He could not feel the bottom of the canal with his feet.
While Peter gripped the edge of the barge, Phyllis reached over and pulled him by the hair.
It hurt, but she managed to pull him out of the water.
Peter jumped onto the barge.
And then Bobbie helped Phyllis on too.
Bobbie went toward the cabin door, but Peter shouted, "Not you!
I should go because I'm wet."
He pushed her away.
Normally she would have cried because Peter was so rough.
But today she only said, "No, Peter, I'll go!"
Peter rushed past her down the stairs, into a thick cloud of smoke.
He stopped and tied his wet handkerchief over his mouth.
Then he called out to Bobbie, "It's all right, there's hardly any fire!"
He lied because he didn't want Bobbie coming down.
Inside, the cabin glowed red.
Peter lifted the handkerchief from his mouth and called, "Baby, where are you?"
He choked from the smoke.
"Let me look!" cried Bobbie from behind him.
Peter pushed her back.
At that moment the baby cried out.
Peter felt his way through the dark smoke and found something small and alive.
He picked it up and bumped into Bobbie.
The dog barked at him.
"I've got the baby," Peter said and ran upstairs.
Bobbie listened to the sound of the barking and then felt around for the dog's head.
The dog put his teeth on her hand, but very gently.
Bobbie said, "Come on," and she carried the dog up.
Peter and Bobbie climbed off the barge with the baby and dog.
"Give me the baby, Peter," Bobbie said.
"You're so wet, you'll give it a cold.
Now run to the pub quickly!"
"I can't run in these wet clothes!" said Peter. "They're heavy."
"Then I'll go! Phyllis, take the baby," Bobbie said and ran toward the Rose and Crown pub.
Inside the pub a group of barge workers sat drinking beer.
Bobbie burst in and cried out, "Bill! I want Bill the bargeman!"
There was silence.
People held their glasses in midair.
Bobbie saw Maria, Bill's wife.
"Your barge is on fire," she cried. "Go quickly."
The woman jumped to her feet and cried out, "Little Harry!
Oh my dear little Harry!"
"Your baby is safe," said Bobbie. "The dog's safe too."
Bill, the bargeman, leaped to his feet and ran with his wife to the canal.
Bill jumped onto the barge with buckets of water.
Peter helped him, and they put out the fire.
Mother was very worried until the children finally arrived at the house.
It was late at night and they were soaking wet.
She listened to their story and let them accept Bill's thank-you present.
It was a ride on the barge the next day.
Phyllis, Bobbie, and Peter went to the canal the next morning.
In a basket they had bread and cheese and ham for lunch.
They spent all day on Bill's barge, going up and down the canal, in the warm sunshine.
Mr. Bill was very nice to them.
He told the children they could fish anytime, and he would help them.
When the children told Mother, she said,
"So you've made more friends.
First at the railway and now at the canal!"