“But we must get out of the burning circus barn,” Dido said. “To be out of our cages will do us no good unless we get out of the barn, too.”
Tum Tum, and the other elephants and other animals, ran around the inside of the circus barn, looking for an open door. But there was none. All the doors and windows were tightly fastened to keep out the cold.
By this time men could be heard outside shouting about the fire. Dido ran up to one door. This led outside, as he knew, for he had come in and out of it several times.
“Tum Tum!” called the dancing bear, “if we could break open this door we could get out and let the other animals out too. Let us try to break down the door.”
“All right!” cried Tum Tum. “I will bang it with my strong head. Look out! Here I come!”
Tum Tum backed up a little way. Then he ran at the door and struck it with his head. At first it would not open. But when Tum Tum struck it again and again, and when Dido hit on it with his powerful paws, the door began to splinter and crack.
“Good!” cried the other animals. “Dido and Tum Tum will now let us out of the burning barn!”
Dido and Tum Tum banged on the door. With his paws Dido pulled away the splinters and pieces of wood that Tum Tum broke off with his head. Soon there was room for all the animals to go out.
“Come on!” cried Tum Tum. And he and Dido let all the other animals run out first and then they went out. And it was high time, too, for the barn was blazing very hot and fast now.