raid.
Good night, sir."

The dragon had purred till he was quite out of breath--so now he
stopped, and as soon as everything was quiet the baby thought everyone
must have settled for the night, and that it was time to begin to
scream. So it began.

"Oh, dear," said the dragon, "this is awful." He patted the baby with
his claw, but it screamed more than ever.

"And I am so tired too," said the dragon. "I did so hope I should have a
good night."

The baby went on screaming.

"There'll be no peace for me after this," said the dragon. "It's enough
to ruin one's nerves. Hush, then--did 'ums, then." And he tried to quiet
the baby as if it had been a young dragon. But when he began to sing
"Hush-a-by, Dragon," the baby screamed more and more and more. "I can't
keep it quiet," said the dragon; and then suddenly he saw a woman
sitting on the steps. "Here, I say," said he, "do you know anything
about babies?"

"I do, a little," said the mother.

"Then I wish you'd take this one, and let me get some sleep," said the
dragon, yawning. "You can bring it back in the morning before the
blacksmith comes."

So the mother picked up the baby and took it upstairs and told her
husband, and they went to bed happy, for they had caught the dragon and
saved the baby.

And next day John went down and explained carefully to the dragon
exactly how matters stood, and he got an iron gate with a grating to it
and set it up at the foot of the steps, and the dragon mewed furiously
for days and days, but when he found it was no good he was quiet.

So now John went to the mayor, and said: "I've got the dragon and I've
saved the town."

"Noble preserver," cried the mayor, "we will get up a subscription for
you, and crown you in public with a laurel wreath."

So the mayor put his name down for five pounds, and the corporation each
gave three, and other people gave their guineas and half guineas and
half crowns and crowns, and while the subscription was being made the
mayor ordered three poems at his own expense from the town poet to
celebrate the occasion. The poems were very much more admired,
especially by the mayor and corporation.

The first poem dealt with the noble conduct of the mayor in arranging to
have the dragon tied up. The second described the splendid assistance
rendered by the corporation. And the third expressed the pride and joy
of the poet in being permitted to sing such deeds, beside which the
actions of St. George must