Fire and Hot Water

maggie

Mr. Brown was busy writing letters in his room when his servant, a very stupid boy, rushed into his master's room and shouted. “Fire! Fire! The kitchen is on fire!”
Mr. Brown got up quickly, and he and the boy ran as fast as they could to the kitchen.
“Look there,” shouted the boy, pointing to the leaping flames. He had carelessly left some dry wood near the fire and this was a light and blazing hard. Mr. Brown saw a big pot of boiling water on the top of the stove. “You silly fellow,” he said, “Why didn't you throw that on the burning wood? That would have put it out quickly.”
“Oh, no,” said the boy slowly. “That water would be useless. It is hot water!”