Page 48 - An Amateur Fireman

hangin' 'round Ninety-four's house after dark, 'cause it looks too much as if we was beggin'," Seth said as he
met Dan, who reported that it wouldn't pay to buy another stock of papers that day.

Master Roberts made no reply to this remark.

He secretly hoped that it might be possible for them to sleep in the engine-house one more night at least, and
believed Seth was foolishly sensitive about the matter.

According to his views on the subject, there was no good reason why they should not go even so far as to ask
the firemen for a shelter, more particularly since they appeared to be so well disposed toward Seth.

The two boys arrived in the vicinity of the engine-house ten minutes before the time set, and Seth insisted that
they should not present themselves until the hour named, consequently both lounged around near by until the
clock struck three, when they marched boldly up to the open door.

The driver was on the lower floor as if awaiting their arrival, and greeted Seth in a manner both familiar and
kind:

"So you've come, have you, Amateur? I was beginning to think you'd struck a business rush, and I shouldn't
see you before to-morrow."

"You said we was to come at three o'clock, so I waited 'round till then."

"Afraid to get here ahead of time, eh?"

"I thought it was best to do as you told us, though we've been loafin' outside for ten minutes."

Mr. Davis chuckled audibly, as if in the statement was something very comical, and not until after several
seconds had elapsed did he speak, when it was to ask:

"Well, what have you two kids done about finding a place where you can sleep?"

"We're goin' to hustle lively after we leave here. We had to earn a little money first, an' it was pretty late when
we got down-town, so we couldn't do any huntin'; but you can make certain some place will flash up before
dark."

"I wouldn't wonder if it did, Amateur, I wouldn't wonder if it did. What made you late in getting down-town?
I thought you left here earlier than usual."

"So we did, sir; but we met Jip Collins, an'— "

"The kid who started the fire in the lumber-yard?"

"Yes, sir, an' he's mighty sorry for what he did."

Then Seth repeated what had been said by the repentant boy, and gave a detailed account of the interview with
Sam Barney, all of which appeared wonderfully amusing, not only to 'Lish Davis, but to all the men on the
floor.

"And are you allowing to adopt this 'ere kid who is setting himself up as a firebug?" the driver asked when
Seth had concluded the story.