d play 'tis a house!" said he.
"Oh, yes, a hook and ladder,"
Cried all; "what fun 'twill be!"

So they put the hose on the hydrant.
Searched everywhere about
Until they found a ladder,
And then, with yell and shout
Of "fire" and clang of "ding-dong,"
They rushed to put it out.

The hosemen pulled their jackets
Hastily from their backs;
One climbed the tree like a squirrel,
With a ball-bat for an axe
And he hewed at the beautiful branches
With frantic hacks and whacks.

Some one turned on the water,
And the boy in the foremost place
Got the full force from the nozzle
Square in his little face;
And he cried for half a minute
With the funniest grimace.

[Illustration: {ONE BOY IS SOAKED BY ANOTHER BOY WITH A HOSE.}]

The stream flew this way, that way,
And up to the tree's bright top,
And back came the water splashing
With reckless slosh and slop,
And with it showers of red leaves
And twigs began to drop.

This small boys' Hook and Ladder
Was a very good company,
And they squirted till the sidewalk
Was like a mimic sea;
But they didn't put out the fire
In the old red maple-tree.

MRS. CLARA DOTY BATES.

[Illustration: {JOE, HIS UNCLE AND THE HORSE.}]

LITTLE JOE'S RIDE.

"Good Billy! nice Billy!" said little Joe, as he patted the nose of
the old black horse. "Say, Uncle John, can't I ride him to water?"

"I am afraid you cannot hang on to him," replied his uncle. "Did you
ever ride a horse?"

"No, uncle; but I am sure I can," answered Joe. "Please let me try.
I'll take hold of his mane with both hands, and hang on as hard as
ever I can."

"Well, you may try it. There is the trough, against that fence, the
other side of the barn. Look out that old Billy does not give you a
ducking."

"Never fear for me," cried Joe, riding away in great glee.

He was a little city boy, and had come out to the farm to make his
uncle a visit. He thought it great fun to take a ride on horseback.

It did not take him long to find the trough, for old Billy knew the
way right well. Then, how it happened, Joe never could tell: Billy put
his head down quite suddenly, and right over it slid the little boy
with a great splash, head first into the water.

Of course he was not hurt. He caught hold of the fence and came out,
drippi