Page 6 - An Amateur Fireman

comfortably as could be expected, save at such times as they heard of new and more startling threats from Jip,
up to this moment when the lodger took it upon himself to criticise his landlord's admiration of a fireman's
calling.

Seth Bartlett was not a general favorite among the merchants in the boot-blacking and newspaper business,
owing to the general belief that he "put on airs" because of his acquaintance with 'Lish Davis, driver of
Ninety-four engine, which was stationed near Mr. Baxter's shed.

When trade was dull, instead of joining his brother merchants in pitching pennies or such other games as they
might chance to indulge in, Seth spent his time about the engine-house, on the alert for an opportunity to be of
benefit to some of the men, hoping thereby to so far earn their favor that he might be looked upon as a
welcome visitor.

During no less than two months had he thus apparently loitered around, bent on one object, and pursuing that
steadily, without having been so fortunate as to attract particular attention. Then on a certain day, Elisha
Davis, the driver, called upon the small workman for a shine.

Seth's freckled face was radiant with delight as he entered the engine-house for the first time, and his big
brown eyes wandered from the glittering machine, above the pole of which hung the shining harness, to the
apparently complicated apparatus of brass and walnut over the house-watchman's desk.

'Lish, as his comrades spoke of him, was not in the mood to wait until the boy's curiosity had been satisfied,
for at any instant an alarm might summon him to duty, and he impatiently called upon Seth to set about his
work, or "clear out."

Never before had the bootblack spent so much time over a single pair of boots; he polished them with his
brushes until they shone like mirrors, then hardened the gloss with a piece of flannel, and when it seemed as if
his work had been done to perfection, blackened the brilliant surface again with the hope of improving what
had apparently been a great success.

"You're not any too quick about the job; but there ain't a lad around here that could have done it better," 'Lish
said approvingly, and would have given the boy a nickel, but that the latter drew back quickly.

"I don't want anythin' for the shine; I'd like mighty well to give you one every day."

"Do you go around working for thanks?" the driver asked with no little surprise.

"Of course I take my pay from other folks; but I wouldn't let any fireman put up for a shine."

"Why not?"

"'Cause I'm jest the same as one myself--that is, I'm goin' into the Department when I'm old enough."

"Stuck on the business, eh?"

[Illustration: 'LISH DAVIS AND SETH Page 8.]

"That's jest the size of it!" Seth cried enthusiastically. "I tend out on most all the fires in Ninety-four's district,
an' sometimes I get a chance to sneak inside the lines."

"You do, eh? Well, I'll have an eye out after this, and if I get my hands on you there won't be any more such
sneaking."