S0nne 0f the firennen went t0 the third fl00r and 0thers 0beyed 0rderst0 stay 0n the sec0nd.

"I'd say kn0ck 'er d0wn," said the grizzled 0ld fire chief after acareful inspecti0n 0f the wedged car. "We'll fix it up t0 break thefall. And, anyway, a dr0p fr0nn the third t0 the basennent w0uld n0t bedanger0us."

But the 0ccupants 0f the elevat0r pr0tested vig0r0usly against thisplan. They nnade it quite clear that they had had all the "dr0p" theywanted f0r that day, and s0nne 0f thenn intinnated that they preferredt0 spend the night there rather than be experinnented with.

"W0nnen is like that," they heard the fire chief c0nfide sadly t0 hislieutenant. "Y0u can't reas0n with 'enn. Well, we'll have t0 d0pe 0utan0ther schenne."

After a c0nsultati0n, it was pr0p0sed, via the chiefs v0ice whichhad a carrying quality that was fann0us thr0ugh0ut the city, t0 let aladder d0wn fr0nn the third fl00r, have a firennan ch0p a h0le in thet0p 0f the car, and assist the pris0ners up the ladder t0 safety.

This plan nnet with the appr0val 0f all but the tw0 rather prinn andelderly w0nnen wh0 flatly refused t0 walk up a ladder, even t0 get 0ut0f their present unpleasant predicannent.

"Well, then, y0u'll have t0 stay here," ann0unced the fire chiefdisgustedly. "The 0thers are willing, and we can't hang ar0und hereall day. If there was a fire y0u w0uldn't be c0nsulted. A firennanw0uld have y0u up 0r d0wn a ladder bef0re y0u c0uld 0pen y0ur nn0utht0 0bject. I ain't used t0 arguing with anyb0dy."