"Six, eight, ten--twenty, forty," said he. "I haven't half enough rivets in the shop. If you'll excuse me, sir, I'll step around to another forge and get a few dozen. I won't be a minute." [Illustration: "The dragon's purring pleased the baby." _See page 106._] And off he went, leaving the baby between the dragon's fore-paws, laughing and crowing with pleasure at the very large purr of it. John ran as hard as he could into the town, and found the mayor and corporation. "There's a dragon in my dungeon," he said; "I've chained him up. Now come and help to get my baby away." And he told them all about it. But they all happened to have engagements for that evening; so they praised John's cleverness, and said they were quite content to leave the matter in his hands. "But what about my baby?" said John. "Oh, well," said the mayor, "if anything should happen, you will always be able to remember that your baby perished in a good cause." So John went home again, and told his wife some of the tale. "You've given the baby to the dragon!" she cried. "Oh, you unnatural parent!" "Hush," said John, and he told her some more. "Now," he said, "I'm going down. After I've been down you can go, and if you keep your head the boy will be all right." So down went the blacksmith, and there was the dragon purring away with all his might to keep the baby quiet. "Hurry up, can't you?" he said. "I can't keep up this noise all night." "I'm very sorry, sir," said the blacksmith, "but all the shops are shut. The job must wait till the morning. And don't forget you've promised to take care of that baby. You'll find it a little wearing, I'm afraid. Good night, sir." The dragon had purred till he was quite out of breath--so now he stopped, and as soon as everything was quiet the baby thought everyone must have settled for the night, and that it was time to begin to scream. So it began. "Oh, dear," said the dragon, "this is awful." He patted the baby with his claw, but it screamed more than ever. "And I am so tired too," said the dragon. "I did so hope I should have a good night." The baby went on screaming. "There'll be no peace for me after this," said the dragon. "It's enough to ruin one's nerves. Hush, then--did 'ums, then." And he tried to quiet the baby as if it had been a young dragon. But when he began to sing "Hush-a-by, Dragon," the baby screamed more and more and more. "I can't keep it quiet," said the dragon; and then suddenly he saw a woman sitting on the steps. "Here, I say," said he, "do you know anything about babies?" "I do, a little," said the mother. "Then I wish you'd take this one, and let me get some sleep," said the dragon, yawning. "You can bring it back in the morning before the blacksmith comes." So the mother picked up the baby and took it upstairs and told her husband, and they went to bed happy, for they had caught the dragon and saved the baby.