Page 41 - An Amateur Fireman

"Look here, Seth, I'm mighty sorry I set fire to your place the other night, an' if there's any way to square it I'll
hump myself the best I know how," he cried while yet some distance away.

"It's a big pity you wasn't took in this style before you touched her off, for then Seth and me wouldn't be
huntin' a place to sleep," Dan said sternly before his partner could speak.

"I know that," Jip wailed, and Seth fancied there was a ring of real sorrow in his tones. "I must have been
crazy to do it, an' after the match was dropped in the shavings I hoped they wouldn't catch fire. Then I sent in
the alarm, 'cause the light kept growin' brighter, an' nobody else saw it."

"But you touched her off all the same," and it could readily be seen that Dan's anger was getting the best of
him.

"Yes, I did, an' of course you can have me sent up the river for it; but what good will that do you? Say, Seth,
won't you let me square it somehow?"

"It's all over now, Jip, an' the only way to fix things is by keepin' mighty straight after this. I don't want to
send you up the river, nor I won't; but if the cops get to know who did it I'm afraid they'll run you in without
tryin' to see whether I want it done or not."

"I know all that, Seth; but I don't believe I'll get jugged if Sam Barney keeps quiet. He says he's taken up the
case, an' is goin' to push it straight through so's to show how good a detective he can be when there's a chance
to spread hisself."

"How do you know that?" Dan asked suspiciously.

"Bill Dean told me so. I met him up to the Erie Basin, where I've been hidin'."

"Why didn't you stay there?"

"I did till I was 'most starved, an' had to come out to earn some money so's to buy grub. Bill was round there
last night lookin' for a feller what runs on a canal-boat, an' jest the same as tumbled over me."

"You'd stood as good a show of earnin' money over in Brooklyn or Jersey City as here, an' then there wouldn't
be so much danger of runnin' across anybody who knew you."

"I'm goin' to Williamsburg; but wanted to talk with you fellers first, so come up here where I could see if you
was in Ninety-four's house."

"What are you countin' on doin' right now?" Seth asked in a friendly tone.

"Find Joe Carter an' try to get the ten cents he owes me, so's I'll have somethin' to buy the first lot of papers
with."

"Joe's gone to Baltimore to live; went off last night," Dan said promptly, and an expression of disappointment
came over Jip's face.

"Is he the only feller who owes you anythin'?" Seth asked.

"Yes, an' I reckon he's the only one who would try to give me a lift after what I've done. He was----"

"Where's them swell Brooklyn chums of yours?" Dan interrupted.