Page 135 - An Amateur Fireman

bang-up shop like this can't be kept goin' all night without somebody's chippin' in a stack of good money.
Now seein' 's you fellers can't eat any more, an' the firemen have all made their speeches, I allow we'd better
skin out."

Save for this last portion, Dan's speech would undoubtedly have been greeted with the same amount of
applause as the others, but the guests were not well pleased at being asked to depart at such an early hour.

During several moments there was every indication that disagreeable remarks might be made, even if nothing
more unpleasant occurred, and thus the harmony of the meeting would be sadly marred.

Understanding all this, 'Lish Davis came to the rescue by saying in a cheery tone:

"Mr. Daniel Roberts has, without knowing it, done us of Ninety-four a mighty good turn in bringing the
meeting to a close. We'd feel kind-er sore to go before it was all over, and yet we couldn't stay many minutes
longer because we only had leave of absence for three hours, and that time is about up. So if you fellows will
look pleasant we'll do the same, and on the day Ninety-four's kid gets appointed to the Department I'll set out
another spread in this same place for every one that's here to-night."

This generous proposition could not have failed of its purpose, and Lish' Davis was cheered to the echo, he
and his two comrades taking their departure during the tumult which ensued.

The entire company escorted Mrs. Hanson's lodgers to their home, and before parting gave three hearty cheers
and a series of yells in Seth's honor which aroused, if it did not alarm, the neighborhood, and brought nearly
every policeman in the vicinity to the scene of the parting.

Dan and his partners escaped to their room before the blue-coated guardians of the city's peace arrived, and
from their window watched the small throng as it scattered in every direction to avoid possible contact with
the officers.

"It's what I call a howlin' success," Master Roberts said in a tone of satisfaction as he turned from the window
after the last of his friends had disappeared. "It was a big mistake not to have had a lot of newspaper fellers
there so's the whole thing would be in the mornin' editions."

"We can fix that straight enough," Bill replied carelessly, as if familiar with such methods. "I know a feller
what helps clean up the Herald office where all the stuff is wrote out, and I'll get him to print a slat about the
blow-out."

This appeared to satisfy Master Roberts that his mistake could readily be rectified, and he gave himself wholly
up to a review of the late proceedings until Seth suggested that they retire.

"I had a hard day's work, an' it'll be jest as bad, if not worse, to-morrow, so I've got to turn in."

"It's too bad to wind up so soon," Dan suggested with a sigh; but Bill finally settled the matter by saying:

"If you an' I ever expect to have that Third-Avenoo store we've got to hump ourselves all the time, an' settin'
up nights ain't the way to do it."

Two minutes later Dan was in bed, and as Seth extinguished the gas the former raised himself on his elbow to
say:

"We'll have the store jest 'bout the time you get into the Department, old man; but you can bet the shop will be
shut up when 'Lish Davis has his blow-out."