Page 52 - An Amateur Fireman

"It's fine, an' no mistake; but we've got to put up twenty-five cents every week for it."

"That'll be all right. I owe you a quarter for this week's rent, an' I'll pay it to-morrow or next day; I've got
enough in my pocket now, but kind-er reckoned on havin' a swell lay-out to-night for a celebration. Hold on
here, an' I'll go after some grub."

"Do you s'pose we ought'er thank Mr. Davis now for findin' the room for us?"

"It'll do jest as well in the mornin', an' you're so 'fraid of hangin' 'round the engine-house that it don't seem as
if you'd better go there for nothin' else but to tell him what we think of the place."

Seth would have been pleased could he have told Ninety-four's driver what he thought of the new quarters, but
Dan's suggestion as to "hangin' 'round" was sufficient to prevent him from venturing out.

Then he tried to dissuade Dan from squandering his money on a feast, arguing that it would be wiser to keep
what he had lest there should be a sudden lull in business; but Master Roberts refused to listen.

"Unless you're 'fraid to trust me for my share of the rent, I'm goin' to spread myself to-night. It's too bad we
hadn't known 'bout this before we come up-town, for then we might er knocked the eyes out er some of the
fellers by showin' it to 'em."

"I don't believe we'd better have too much company, or Miss Hanson will make a kick. It ain't likely she's
willin' to have a crowd of fellers rushin' in and out for fifty cents a week."

"I s'pose that's so; but all the same I'd like to have the gang see how we're fixed."

Then Master Roberts went out to make the purchases, and Seth was left alone to familiarize himself with his
seemingly luxurious surroundings.

Fully half an hour elapsed before Dan returned, and then he was accompanied by Master Dean.

"I found Bill hangin' 'round Ninety-four's house lookin' for you, an' thought the best thing I could do was to
bring him right up here," Dan said as he ostentatiously placed half a dozen small packages on the table.

"Ain't you fellers slingin' a terrible lot of style?" Bill asked, as he gazed around him. "It strikes me that
business must be boomin' if you can afford all this."

"It'll only cost twenty-five cents a week for each one of us," Seth replied, as if thinking something in the way
of an apology was necessary.

"What?" and Master Dean was so thoroughly astonished as to be unable to speak for several seconds. Then he
cried eagerly: "Say, you don't want to take another feller in, I s'pose? I'd like to get sich a snap as this!"

"I don't know as Miss Hanson would want to take another lodger. You might ask her, though, after we've been
here a spell."

"Why not have it settled now?"

"It seems to me as if you'd better hold off for a while till she sees how we flash up. 'Cordin' to what she said, I
don't believe we'd got in here if it hadn't been for Mr. Davis."

"I'd like to come mighty well," Bill said longingly, and then his attention was attracted to Dan's movements.