"I ain' thinkin' you could take me there," Master Collins replied promptly. "Now I'm out, I'll begin to sell papers down by the ferry again, 'cause I've got fourteen cents left, an' if Sam Barney leaves me alone, I'll pull through all right."

"If he so much as looks crossways at you, I'll give him something to remember me by," Bill cried.

"It's a good thing to get right at your work," Seth said approvingly.

"Stick at it, an' us fellers will come to see you whenever we get a chance."

"You've been mighty good to me, all three of you, an' I only wish I could----"

It was impossible for the penitent firebug to say anything more. The tears he had been holding back since he first appeared in court now came out in full force, and, seated on the curbstone, he gave full sway to the sense of loneliness and shame in his heart.

Mrs. Hanson's lodgers soothed him as best they could, and not until he was ready for business once more, with a bundle of evening papers under his arm, did Seth think of leaving him.

Dan and Bill had both equipped themselves for work, and promised to have an eye out for Jip during the remainder of that day at least; therefore, Seth believed himself at liberty to follow his own inclinations.

"I want to go up to the engine-house for a spell; but I'll be in the room in time to go with you to school," he said to Dan, and the latter replied cheerily:

"All right, we'll flash up there by dark, and you needn't be 'fraid anybody will get the best of Jip while we're round."

Ten minutes later Seth was in Ninety-four's quarters, standing in front of 'Lish Davis, as the latter asked sternly:

"Why didn't you stay down-town an' enjoy yourself? That's what I told you to do."

"I can have more fun up here, an' I didn't think you'd care if I loafed 'round till it was time to go to school."

"Care? Of course we don't, Amateur; but you ought'er have some change; there's no sense in hanging on here all the time."

"I don't see very much of you, an' perhaps----"

"You're reckoning that we may get a call, and you'll have the chance to go out with us?"

"If there was one, I'd like----"

Mr. Davis interrupted him by saying with mock seriousness:

"I'm afraid, Amateur, we shall have to hire a back-yard somewhere, and keep a little blaze going so's to amuse you."

Seth laughed heartily at this conceit, and then bethinking himself that there was no reason why he should not give the men's boots an extra polish, brought his outfit from the chamber above, although Jerry Walters insisted strongly that he should sit still "and visit with 'em."

To do this work he had drawn on an old pair of overalls to protect his blue trousers, taken off his coat, and was in full working costume, when a "click" came from the Morse instrument, and the men were already on their feet as the alarm began to sound.

"Am I in it?" Seth cried eagerly, as the horses dashed out of their stall, and 'Lish Davis replied, while attending to his portion of the work:

"I reckon we shall have to take you along, Amateur, seeing 's this fire seems to have started jest when you got into trim for hard work. Swing alongside the engineer, and we'll allow you're one of the company."

By the time the driver ceased speaking the engine was on its way out of the building, and Seth, swaying to and fro, clung for dear life to the guard-rail, as the mighty machine was drawn swiftly over the pavement.

"There's no chance of our getting first water this time, even if we are taking the mascot with us," Jerry Walters said with a laugh, and Amateur knew there were no less than three engines stationed nearer the signal-box, from which had come this alarm, than was Ninety-four.

"A nasty place for a fire," the engineer said as the engine, following another an hundred yards or more in advance, rolled on toward a block of apartment houses, from the centre of which could be seen dense clouds of black smoke ascending.

"And it seems to have a good start," Walters added.

Then Ninety-four's hose was coupled on, and, without attracting the attention of the driver, Seth followed Joe Black and Jerry as they dragged the nozzle up the steps to the entrance of the threatened building.

"Get back, Amateur!" one of them shouted, and the boy cried imploringly:

"Please let me go as far as you do! It's my first chance, an' I've got my old clothes on!"

"All right; but have an eye on yourself, and see to it the battalion chief don't spot you," Joe Black replied carelessly, and Seth congratulated himself that he had gone to Ninety-four's quarters instead of spending his time down-town.

The fire appeared to have its strongest hold in the shaft of the elevator, coming from the bas.e.m.e.nt, and the two men whom Seth was following, joined by Ben Dunton, dragged the long length of hose up one flight of stairs to the landing where tongues of yellow flame were apparently coming through the very floor.

Once they were in position for battle with the foe directly before them, Jerry Walters ran into the adjoining apartment, and shouted through the open window.

Even where he stood, shielding his face with his arm as best he could from the intense heat and blinding smoke, Seth could hear the cry:

"Ninety-four! Start your water! Start your water!"

If there was any response those on the landing did not hear it; but a few seconds later the leathern hose began to stiffen and round out into shape, and then with a mighty rush that threatened to wrest the nozzle from the three strong men who were holding it, a jet of water struck the burning floor with a force that would have shattered less substantial timbers.

"Hurrah for Ninety-four!" and Seth sprang to the hose, intent on doing a full share of the work even though his face was almost blistered by the heat.

"Get back, Amateur, get back! It's too hot for you here!" and Ben Dunton thrust Seth aside with his elbow at the very instant a wild scream was heard on the stairway in the rear of the firemen.

Turning quickly Seth saw dimly through the volume of choking vapor the form of a woman, and it seemed to him that Ben Dunton was trying to force her down the stairs when she shrieked:

"There's a child on the next floor!"

Jerry Walters and Joe Black could not leave their places of duty; but Ben Dunton sprang forward, and almost instinctively Seth followed, the smoke being so dense at the top of the stairs as to screen his movements from the view of those at the nozzle.

For an instant he fancied Jerry called his name, and then he was groping his way upward, half-blinded, choking, but eager to do what he might toward a rescue.

He gained the second landing.

Here everything was obscured by the black smoke, and he could no longer see Dunton, although now and then a crashing noise as of wood being splintered under heavy blows told, as he believed, that the brave fireman was intent on the effort to save life even though his own might pay the forfeit.

Then with a roar the flames burst from the elevator shaft directly in front of him, and he staggered on along the hallway, hardly knowing in which direction he was going until, from behind a door near at hand came that which sounded like the crying of a child.

He had only to turn the k.n.o.b in order to gain an entrance into the apartment, which seemed entirely free from smoke, as compared with the place he had just left.

On the floor near the window sat a child crying piteously, and Seth caught the little thing in his arms, thinking it would be possible to gain the foot of the stairs, where he had left Black and Walters, before either he or his charge should receive serious injury.

Thus laden he ran toward the hallway, but only to retreat.

The flames were pouring up through the shaft, spreading out in every direction, and forming such a barrier as he could not hope to pa.s.s.

He shouted for Dunton, but no reply came, and for the briefest interval of time he despaired.

Then came into his mind as clearly as if the words were yet being spoken, what he had heard said to one of the cla.s.ses concerning just such peril as he was in at that moment, and without delay he returned to the room, closing the door behind him to shut out the noisome vapor as nearly as might be.