Page 117 - An Amateur Fireman

"How's he goin' to pay you for lookin' after him?"

"I don't expect he can. The bill was settled by some firemen belonging to Ninety-four engine."

With this the lawyer, after advising Jip to call upon him from time to time, went his way, and Mrs. Hanson's
lodgers stood looking at each other as if expecting some important proposition was about to be made.

"It won't do to take you up to our house, Jip, 'cause there are three of us already, an' the boss of the place can't
have all the boys in the city runnin' in an' out there for sixty cents a week," Seth said hesitatingly, wondering
what could be done with the lad who had been put on probation.

"I ain' thinkin' you could take me there," Master Collins replied promptly. "Now I'm out, I'll begin to sell
papers down by the ferry again, 'cause I've got fourteen cents left, an' if Sam Barney leaves me alone, I'll pull
through all right."

"If he so much as looks crossways at you, I'll give him something to remember me by," Bill cried.

"It's a good thing to get right at your work," Seth said approvingly. "Stick at it, an' us fellers will come to see
you whenever we get a chance."

"You've been mighty good to me, all three of you, an' I only wish I could— "

It was impossible for the penitent firebug to say anything more. The tears he had been holding back since he
first appeared in court now came out in full force, and, seated on the curbstone, he gave full sway to the sense
of loneliness and shame in his heart.

Mrs. Hanson's lodgers soothed him as best they could, and not until he was ready for business once more,
with a bundle of evening papers under his arm, did Seth think of leaving him.

Dan and Bill had both equipped themselves for work, and promised to have an eye out for Jip during the
remainder of that day at least; therefore, Seth believed himself at liberty to follow his own inclinations.

"I want to go up to the engine-house for a spell; but I'll be in the room in time to go with you to school," he
said to Dan, and the latter replied cheerily:

"All right, we'll flash up there by dark, and you needn't be 'fraid anybody will get the best of Jip while we're
round."

Ten minutes later Seth was in Ninety-four's quarters, standing in front of 'Lish Davis, as the latter asked
sternly:

"Why didn't you stay down-town an' enjoy yourself? That's what I told you to do."

"I can have more fun up here, an' I didn't think you'd care if I loafed 'round till it was time to go to school."

"Care? Of course we don't, Amateur; but you ought'er have some change; there's no sense in hanging on here
all the time."

"I don't see very much of you, an' perhaps----"

"You're reckoning that we may get a call, and you'll have the chance to go out with us?"