"Number, please?" again drawled the unruffled Central.
"Oh, quick! Quick!" cried Janice into the instrument. "Give me the Fire Department. Our house is on fire!"
"Great heavens!" ejaculated her father from the living room. He was awake and heard Janice now.
"Do be quick, Central!" cried Janice. "The Fire De—"
"Market, two, three hundred," said Central.
"It's a wonder," thought Janice, even in her present state of mind, "that she doesn't call 'Information'!"
"Janice! Where is the fire?" called her father.
"It's the chimney. Wait, Daddy! I'll come and help yon. The kitchen chim— Oh!"
Somebody on the wire just then said crisply: "Central Fire
Station. What's wanted?"
"Fire!" shouted Janice. "Our house! Eight-forty-five Knight
Street!"