Page 131 - An Amateur Fireman

whom he knew.

It was as if every news-vender and bootblack had suddenly disappeared from the face of the earth, although it
was not yet so late but that considerable business might have been done.

Arriving at the post-office he met there Bill and Dan alone.

He had expected to see a great throng, and began to believe that for some good reason the "blow-out" had
been postponed.

"Have you given it up?" he asked in what he intended should be a careless tone, for even though he had
advised Dan not to "start the thing," it had given him no slight satisfaction because his acquaintances and
friends should desire thus to do him honor.

"Give up nothin'!" Bill exclaimed. "Ain't we here on time?"

"I didn't know from what you said last night but that some of the other fellers were comin'."

"We've fixed everything jest as we want it, an' she's goin' along as smooth as a die," Master Roberts replied in
a tone of satisfaction. "Them as don't know their business gets left; but we haven't got in with that crowd, eh,
William?"

"We shan't mildew even if we ain't taken in for a considerable spell," Bill said contentedly, and added an
instant later: "Now Seth's come I don't see why we should stand 'round here any longer."

"Let her go; I'm ready"; and Master Roberts set out in advance, leading the way toward Chat ham Street much
as if believing every person whom they met knew he was conducting the boy who ran with Ninety-four.

"Where are we goin'?" Seth asked of Bill, believing now that the spread concerning which so much had been
said was to be confined strictly to the lodgers in Mrs. Hanson's house.

"You'll see when we strike there, an' if it ain't tony enough for a swell from the Department, you can get out."

Seth gazed in surprise at his friend; but the latter's face was expressionless, and the guest of the evening began
to fear some disaster had overtaken the plans of his roommates.

"Seen Sam Barney to-day?" the "probationary fireman" asked after a brief time of silence.

"I struck him mighty heavy yesterday, an' he's been layin' low ever since. I made up my mind that he should
see the printed stuff about you in the papers, an' hung 'round till he flashed up. Then I acted as if he an' me
was the best friends in the world, an' asked if he knowed what kind of a racket you'd been on. That was
enough to make him read the paper I had, an' you can bet he was sick when he got through. Teddy Bowser hit
him up ag'in 'bout an hour afterward, an from that time till pretty nigh dark we kept him chafin' under the
collar. Then he lit out, an' we haven't seen him since."

"How's Jip gettin' along?"

"First-class; tendin' right out on business, an' goin' to pull through into a decent kind of a feller. Say, you
know Dan made up his mind to own a store on Third Avenoo?"

"Yes, an' I hope he won't back down."