Freddie, true to his promise, got out his toy fire engine, and filled
the tank with water, winding up the spring that worked the pump and
sent out the stream from the little rubber hose.
"Now I'm ready for a lion or a tiger or a bear," he said.
"Well, don't dream of them," said his mother. "Now it's time for bed."
Whether the talk of the circus animals had made Freddie nervous, or
whether he did dream of them, he could not clearly tell afterward. All
he knew was that he did not sleep well, and, some time after going to
bed he awakened with a start.
There was no light in his room, but the moon shone in. He could look
across to where Flossie was asleep in her crib.
Then Freddie heard a noise. It came from outside and sounded like:
"Wuff!"
"Oh! Oh!" whispered Freddie to himself. "That's him! That's one of the
wild animals! It's a bear! That's how bears go--'wuff!' Oh, it's come,
and what shall I do!"
He sat up in bed listening. He heard the noise again!
"Wuff! Wuff!"
Then Freddie decided he must be brave. Without waking Flossie, the
little fellow slid from bed, and crossed to the window.
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