Page 43 - An Amateur Fireman

CHAPTER VI.

AN OBSTINATE DETECTIVE.

Dan was in a fine temper when Seth finally released his hold, and after understanding that it would be useless
to pursue the fugitive he turned upon his partner savagely.

"A nice kind of a chump you are! Let a feller burn your house down, an' then pay him fifteen cents for doin' it!
After that, when I make up my mind to give him the dose he needs, you turn against me to help him! I s'pose
that's what you call bein' a chum of mine?"

"That's exactly what it is, Dan," Seth replied soothingly. "After you've cooled off a bit you'll be glad I didn't
let you pitch into a feller who wouldn't raise his hands."

"He didn't 'cause he don't dare."

"If a feller had any spunk about him he would dare to do all he could while somebody else was thumpin' him.
Jip feels bad for what he did to us, an' would stand still to let you pound him; but it couldn't have done you
any good, Dan. You don't want to get the name of bein' a bruiser."

"I'd be willin' to take 'most any kind of a name rather'n let Jip Collins off without so much as turnin' a hair on
his head!"

"That's the way you feel jest now 'cause you're off your base; but wait a couple of hours, an' then you'll talk
different."

"I won't if I live to be twice as gray-headed as ever Methuselah was, for it's a downright shame to let him go
with money in his pockets after tryin' to kill us."

"He was hungry."

"It would do him solid good to starve to death."

"He turned in the alarm, an' if he hadn't done that we'd been burned to death."

"I notice he didn't do it till the fire got a mighty good start, an' then I reckon it was only 'cause he grew scared.
If you're so 'fraid of gettin' your name up for fightin', you might er stood still and let me have a whack at him.
I don't see how that could have hindered your slippin' into the Department. I wouldn't be quite so mad if you
hadn't given him the money."

"He was hungry, Dan, an' I'd do that much for the biggest duffer in the town."

Dan made no reply to this remark; but with his hands plunged deep in his pockets walked swiftly away in the
direction of City Hall as if his one desire was to be free from his partner.

Seth was not minded to let him go while in a temper, but at the same time he knew full well that it would be
useless to attempt to stop him with words, therefore he followed without further remark, biding his time until
the proper moment should come when the "soft answer" could be given.

Without looking to the right or the left Dan continued on, much as if bent on running away from his partner,
until ten minutes had elapsed, when he halted suddenly, wheeled about and addressed Seth with his usual
friendly manner: