4、New York’s Bravest.docxVIP

4、New York’s BravestBy Mary Pope Osborne Paintings by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher“Fire! Fire! Turn out! Turn out!”The fire bell jangled.“Come on, boys!” said Mose. Mose was the most famous firefighter in New York City.Eight feet tall, Mose had hands as big as Virginia hams.His arms were so strong he could swim the Hudson River in two strokes.When others ran away from danger, Mose ran toward it.Now Mose and his boys rolled out the pumper and headed for the smoke billowing in the sky.They ran past horse stables and wooden shanties.They ran past newsboys crying: “Papers, one penny!”They ran past oystermen, roosters, and ragmen.Suddenly they came to a halt.A horse-drawn trolley was stuck on the tracks, blocking their way!“I’ll take care of it, boys!” said Mose.He lifted the crowded car into the air.Then he set it down gently and raced on.When Mose got to the burning tenement, a woman rushed forward.“Help!” she screamed. “My baby’s in there!”Mose climbed a ladder to the third floor.He hacked the wood with his ax and wedged his body inside.Moments later he appeared, coughing and covered with soot.“He’s alone!” the mother cried. “where’s my baby!”As Mose started down the ladder, it caught fire.But Mose leapt through the air and landed on his feet.Then he reached in his hat and pulled out a baby!“Thank you! Thank you!” the mother cried.“Just doing my duty, ma’am,” said Mose.The mother baked Mose all the pies he could eat.To show their thanks, folks always gave Mose food and drink—barrels of cider and coffee, bushels of oysters and potatoes, mountains of beans’n eggs.Ragmen gave him their least ragged clothes.Shoeshine boys shined his boots.Everyone knew if they ever needed help, they could count on Mose.For years and years, Mose ran uptown and downtown, east and west, putting out fires in tenements, mansions, factories, and stores.One night the fire bell rang. “Fire! Fire!” An eerie glow lit up the sky. Mose and his boys pulled out the pumper and raced to the piers.A fire