Chapter 12 FIRE-EATING AND OTHER THINGS!
　　ALFREDO sat down on the grass, some way back from the fire. He set a little metal bowl in front ofhim, that smelt¹ of petrol. He held up two things to show the children.
　　'His torches,' said Mrs. Alfredo, proudly. 'He eats fire from them.'
　　Alfredo called out something to the snake-man, dipping his two torches into the bowl. They were 50not alight yet, and to the children they looked like very large buttonhooks, with a wad of wool caughtin the hook-part.
　　The snake-man leaned forward and took a burning twig² out of the fire. With a deft³ throw he pitched itright into the metal bowl. Immediately it set light to the petrol there, and flames shot up in thedarkness.
　　Alfredo had held his torches out of the way, but now he thrust first one and then another into theburning petrol in the bowl.
　　They flared⁴ alight at once, and red flames shot up as he held one in each hand. His eyes gleamed inthe brilliant light, and the five children sat still, spellbound.
　　Then Alfredo leaned back his head - back and back - and opened his great mouth wide. He put one ofthe lighted torches into it, and closed his mouth over it, so that his cheeks gleamed a strange andunbelievable red from the flames inside his mouth. Anne gave a little scream and George gasped⁵. Thetwo boys held their breath. Only Jo watched unconcerned. She had seen her uncle do this many timesbefore!
　　Alfredo opened his mouth, and flames rushed out of it, gushing⁶ like a fiery⁷ waterfall. What with theother torch flaring⁸ in his left hand, the burning petrol in the bowl, the torch in his right hand and theflames from his mouth, it really was an extraordinary scene!
　　He did the same with the other torch, and once more his cheeks glowed like a lamp. Then fire camefrom his mouth again, and was blown this way and that by the night breeze.

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