Friday afternoon Bill and his playmates hurried to the old barn near the river. 星期五下午，比尔和他的伙伴们赶到河边的旧谷仓。

They were getting ready to have a circus on Saturday. 他们星期六有场马戏表演，要做准备。

Upstairs in the barn loft the girls were all busy making dresses for the circus. 楼上的谷仓阁楼里，女孩们都忙着为马戏做衣服。

Jenny's little dog, Brownie, was up in the loft with them. 珍妮的小狗布朗尼，和她们一起在阁楼上。

Brownie was going to be in the circus, too, 布朗尼也会参加马戏表演，

for he could walk on his hind legs and do other tricks. 因为它可以用后腿走路，还可以表演其他戏法。

Downstairs the boys were hammering. 楼下的男孩们正在敲敲打打。

They were making a band wagon for the circus parade. 他们正在为马戏团巡游做一辆乐队马车。

"Come down, girls, and we will show you our band wagon," called George. “女孩们，下来，我们给你们看看乐队马车。”乔治叫道。

The girls came climbing down the ladder, wearing their bright-colored circus dresses. 女孩们穿着鲜艳的马戏服从梯子上爬下来。

"What a fine band wagon!" they cried. Suddenly Brownie began to bark. “多好的乐队马车啊!”她们叫喊着。突然，布朗尼开始尖叫。

"He does not like to be left up in the loft alone," said Jenny. “它不喜欢独自留在阁楼上。”珍妮说，

"But we can't coax him to come down the ladder." “但我们不能哄着它从梯子上下来。”

Just then the children heard someone shout "Fire! Fire!" 就在这时，孩子们听到有人喊“着火了！着火了!”

They looked out of the door. A man was running toward the barn. 他们朝门外看去，一个人朝谷仓跑来。

"The roof is on fire!" he shouted to the children. “房顶着火了！”他向孩子们喊。

"Get right out! Don't stop for anything! Quick! Run for help while I get a ladder." “马上出来！不要停下来拿东西！快点儿！在我拿梯子时跑去求助。”

Bill ran down the street to a garage, where he telephoned for the firemen. 比尔沿街跑到一个车库，他在那里打电话给消防队员。

Then he ran back to the barn. 然后他跑回谷仓。

Two men were on the roof, throwing water on the flames. 两个人在屋顶上向火泼水。

But the fire spread so fast that they had to climb down. 但火势蔓延得很快，他们不得不爬下来。

Thick smoke began to come from the barn windows and the cracks between the boards. 浓烟从谷仓窗户和木板间的缝隙中冒出来。

All at once Jenny began to cry. "Oh, Bill!" she said. 突然，珍妮哭了起来。“噢，比尔！”她说，

"Brownie is in the loft! I couldn't coax him to come down the ladder. Brownie! Brownie!" “布朗尼在阁楼上，我没能哄它下梯子。布朗尼！布朗尼！”

Brownie came to the window above them and barked. 布朗尼走到他们上方的窗前吠叫着。

Smoke and flames puffed out from the barn. 烟和火焰从谷仓里喷出来。

How could anyone go into the loft and get the dog? 人们如何进入谷仓把小狗带出来呢？

"I must save Brownie," thought Bill. “我必须救布朗尼。”比尔想。

There was a big tree at the side of the barn near the window. 谷仓靠近窗户的一边有一棵大树。

Bill had often climbed up the tree to that window. 比尔经常爬上那棵树到窗户里。

Could he climb the tree in time to save Brownie? He must try it. 他能及时爬上树去救布朗尼吗?他必须试试。

Bill went up the tree as fast as he could, and began creeping out toward the window. 比尔尽可能快地爬上树，开始向窗户爬去。

Thick smoke was now rolling from the loft above him, 浓烟从他头顶的阁楼上滚滚而来，

and Brownie was barking with all his might. 布朗尼用尽全身力气叫着。

Closer and closer to the window, Bill crept until Brownie was just beneath him. 比尔离窗户越来越近，一直爬到布朗尼的上面。

He picked up the little dog with one hand and held on to the tree with the other, so that he would not fall. 他用一只手捡起小狗，另一只手抓住树，这样他才不会掉下去。

The terrible smoke hurt Bill's eyes, 可怕的烟雾弄伤了比尔的眼睛，

and he wondered how he could ever get down the tree with Brownie. 他想知道自己怎样才能和布朗尼一起从树上下来。

He looked down and saw a large crowd of people watching him. 他往下一看，看见一大群人在看自己。

"Hold on," they called to him. "Here come the firemen!" “坚持住，”他们冲他叫道，“消防员来了！”

The firemen brought a ladder to help Bill down. 消防队员带了一架梯子帮助比尔下来。

In a minute both the boy and the dog were safe on the ground. 过了一会儿，男孩和狗都安全着地。

A big fireman patted Bill on the back. 一名大个消防员拍拍比尔的背。

"That was a brave thing to do," he said. "You did that like a real fireman." 他说：“你很勇敢，像一名真正的消防员。”

Jenny took Brownie in her arms. 珍妮把布朗尼抱在怀里。

She smiled happily and said, "I think Bill is the bravest boy in the world." 她高兴地笑着，说道：“我认为比尔是世界上最勇敢的男孩。”