The knock on the front door startled everyone. It was 7:00 A.M. on the Fourth of July, and the Malone family was not expecting visitors. Six year old Ella raced to answer, followed by her four year old brother Jake. When the door swung open, no one was there. All they could see was a large white box, covered with red, white and blue star stickers and ribbons. 68
"Who is it, Ella?" called Mrs. Malone from the kitchen, where she was packing snacks to eat at the parade.
"No one," answered Ella "Just a giant box that looks like a flag! But there are lots of holes in the top,"
She continued. 110
"A surprise!" yelled Jake, running outside in his firetruck pajamas. "A present, a present, a present!"
"It's nobody's birthday," added Mr. Malone, who had been upstairs getting dressed for the parade.
He was a firefighter, and today Ella and Jake would ride on the pumper truck with him for the first time. 162
"Hmm," he said as he stepped outside where the family was excitedly surveying the big, big box.
"What could be inside?" asked Ella.
"Where did it come from?" asked Mrs. Malone.
"Who is it from?" wondered Mr. Malone. 200
"Let's open it!" shouted Jake, jumping up and down.
All of a sudden they heard a scratching sound from inside the box.
"It's alive!" yelled Jake.
The box began to move. Everyone took a step back. It rocked. It rolled. It tipped over.
Then it burst open like a firecracker and out came a black and white ball of fur. It was wearing a bright red collar with a fire hydrant charm that read "Sparky". 275
"A fire puppy! A fire puppy!" screamed Ella.
"For us?" smiled Jake, reaching out to hug the small dog.
Mr. and Mrs. Malone looked at each other and smiled.
"A Fourth of July surprise! But who could have sent him?" Mr. Malone said.
Just then the telephone rang. "Hello?" answered Mrs. Malone.
"Good morning. Happy Fourth of July Mrs. Malone. This is Fire Chief Frank. Did you receive our delivery this morning?"
"If it was a Dalmatian puppy in a Fourth of July box we did," she replied, smiling.
"Oh, good! Have your family bring him along to ride on the truck in the parade this morning. Sparky will love it!"
"And so will Ella and Jake," answered Mrs. Malone "Thank you for this Fourth of July surprise Fire Chief Frank. See you at the parade."
"You're welcome," replied the Fire Chief, "See you later!"
"This is the best Fourth of July yet," exclaimed Ella, reaching down to pet Sparky. Sparky wagged his tail in agreement.
"It's ter-woof-ic," smiled Mr. Malone, "Now let's go ride a pumper truck!
