How Nan Saved Sally It was Sally's birthday and Mother had made her a cake with seven candles on it.
Mother, Sally and Nan went to the beach for a picnic and took the birthday cake with them.
The two girls took off their shoes and stockings and waded in the water.
They dug caves and built castles in the sand.
Soon Mother was ready to cook dinner.
So Nan and Sally ran up and down the beach, picking up dry sticks.
Then they piled the sticks together to make a fire, and Nan called Mother to light it.
Nan said, Mother, these sticks will not burn.
They are so close together that no air can get between them.
You must spread them out.
Fire needs air to burn.
Let me show you something.
Mother took a candle from Sally's cake and lighted it.
Then she set it up in the sand.
Now, said Mother, get me the glass jar we brought for water.
She put the jar over the candle and the candle flame changed slowly from yellow to blue.
Then, It went out.
No air can get through the glass jar, said Mother.
After the fire burned all the air inside the jar.
It couldn't get any more air and the flame went out.
Nan made another pile of sticks.
This time, she spread the sticks so that plenty of air could get between them.
When the fire was lighted, it burned quickly.
We can put this fire out if we pour sand on it, said mother.
The sand will keep air from the fire.
May I try it now? asked Nan.
Yes, said her mother, but be careful.
Nan poured sand on a burning stick and the flames went out.
Before we leave, We will put out our fire by pouring sand on it, said Mother.
While Mother was cooking the dinner, Sally lighted the seven candles on her cake.
How pretty they looked!
After dinner, Mother walked down the beach to hunt for shells.
Sally and Nan stayed by the fire, looking at the smoke and flames.
Sally went near the fire to throw on more wood.
Suddenly her dress caught fire.
She began to scream.
Nan was frightened too, but she did not scream.
She remembered that sand would put out fire.
Nan pushed Sally down on the beach and piled sand on her burning dress.
Sally wanted to run to mother, but Nan said, No, no, Sally, if you run, the fire will burn faster.
She piled on more and more sand until her sister was almost covered.
Mother heard Sally scream and came running back.
When she got there, Nan had put out the fire in Sally's dress.
Though Sally was not hurt at all, She cried because the fire had burned a big hole in her new dress.
Mother kissed her and said, Don't cry about the dress, dear.
I'll make you a new one.
I'm glad my girls are safe.
Now put on your shoes and stockings and we will cover the fire with sand.
But be careful to keep your dresses away from the flames.
They put out the fire with sand and left the beach.
When father came home that evening, they told him what had happened.
I was far down the beach hunting for shells, said mother.
I couldn't get there in time, but brave little Nan saved Sally.
She poured sand on Sally's dress and put out the fire.
Father asked, Nan?
How did you know that sand would put out fire?
Mother told us it would, said Nan.
She said that a fire would not burn without air.
She put a glass jar over a lighted candle and the flame went out.
But Nan couldn't put the jar over me, said Sally.
I was too big.
They all laughed happily.
Father kissed both girls and said that he was very glad he had a brave girl like Nan.
