Page 73 - An Amateur Fireman

said you was lookin' mighty fine; but I never thought you could flash up like this! Why, you're a reg'lar
fireman already."

"You wouldn't think that if you could hear what Ninety-four's men say, an', besides, there's no brass buttons
on this uniform, you know."

"I ain't certain but it looks better without 'em. Anyhow, you're way up in G."

"He ought'er know it by this time," Dan added with a laugh. "Everybody has been tellin' him so, an' he come
mighty near paralyzin' Miss Hanson. She jest threw up both hands when we opened the door."

"Well, I don't wonder; but say, I didn't come round to sponge off you fellers, 'cause I never thought of your
havin' two such lay-outs one right after the other. I didn't know but you'd like to hear how we'd left Jip, an'
then agin I wanted to talk 'bout bunkin' in here with you fellers."

"This is Seth's spread; but you'll hold on an' get your share of it now you're here," and Dan began to arrange
the food on the table in the most tempting manner possible.

"Of course you'll stop," Seth added, "an' even if you'd known we was goin' to kind of celebrate, what would
be the harm in comin' 'round an' gettin' some?"

"Well, I don't want you to think I'm playin' it on you, that's all; but it struck me a little while ago that if we
could make a trade with the woman what runs this house, it would come easier on all hands. Now, that bed is
plenty big enough for three, an' it ain't likely you'll be here much of the time, except to sleep, so why wouldn't
it be a good idea to see how much extra she'll charge to let me in with you fellers?"

Seth knew of no good reason why Bill should not be allowed to share their palatial quarters, providing Mrs.
Hanson did not object.

He knew Master Dean to be an industrious, well-intentioned boy, whose company, now that he was to be
absent from home so much, might be desirable to Dan, and at once signified his willingness that the landlady
should be consulted.

"I reckon Dan will be lonesome here when I'm gone so much, an' perhaps it would be a good plan. S'pose you
two fellers go down an' see what she's got to say."

"Why don't you tackle her?" Master Roberts suggested. "She'll be so busy lookin' at your uniform that perhaps
you could make a better trade."

Seth hesitated only an instant, and then went down-stairs.

When he returned his companions knew from the expression on his face, before he made a report, that the
mission had been successful.

"She says if we keep quiet an' don't have a crowd hangin' round, or too many visitors, that we needn't pay any
more for three than we do for two. I didn't think that would be jest the square thing, an' besides, we couldn't
divide half a dollar up in three parts, so I told her we'd call it sixty cents, an' that will make the lodgin' come
mighty cheap for all hands of us."

"When are you willin' I should come?" Bill Dean asked eagerly.

"Whenever you want to."