He knew it was one of the battalion chiefs who had been talking with Mr.

Davis, and it was enough for him that his name had been spoken in a friendly tone.

The driver leaned over him once more, and asked almost tenderly:

"Will I send you up to the house, Amateur?"

"Can't I stay till Ninety-four pulls out?"

"Well, of all gluttons, you're the worst!" 'Lish Davis cried as if in delight. "Dosed 'way up till you can hardly wink, and yet wanting to hold on to the last! Ben Dunton is caring for the team, and I reckon you and I had better pull out in this 'ere hurry-up."

"What about the fire?"

"It's under control, though I'm allowing it'll be a full two hours before Ninety-four gets the word to leave."

Then Davis left the boy a moment, and when he returned the patrol-wagon was driven slowly out past the laboring engines, through the throng of spectators, into the un.o.bstructed streets, after which the horses were urged to their full speed.

"There's no need of takin' me back, Mr. Davis. I ain't much worse than I was the time Dan an' me was burned out."

"But then it needed a night's rest to put you into shape, and I'm not minded to run any risks. Ninety-four's kid is getting to be so near a man that we can't afford to take any chances with him."

"h.e.l.lo! Amateur in trouble again?" the house watchman asked when 'Lish Davis helped Seth into the building, and the driver replied proudly:

"I don't allow he's an amateur any longer, Bob, but fit to be one of us in proper form. He saved a baby, and came mighty nigh knocking under."

"How did he get a chance to do anything like that?"

"Slipped past me, and followed Jerry and Joe; I don't rightly know the whole of it yet. The Chief allowed it was a medal job, though one can't be given, except to members of the Department."

"Then Seth is ent.i.tled to it, for he's on our rolls as if belongin' to us."

"We'll see that he gets all he's earned, Bob," 'Lish Davis replied, and then he conducted the boy upstairs, insisting that he should go to bed.

"I'll be all right after a spell," Seth protested, and the driver replied grimly, in his usual harsh tone:

"That's what I'm going to make certain of, kid. Peel off your clothes and turn in if you don't want to have trouble with me."

Seth obeyed with a laugh, and was equally tractable a few moments later when 'Lish Davis brought a gla.s.s half full of a certain disagreeable mixture for him to drink.

Then the boy's eyelids grew heavy; he said to himself he would remain awake until Ninety-four returned, but the thought was hardly more than formed in his mind before slumber overcame him.

It was late in the evening when he was awakened by the sound of voices near at hand, and on looking around Seth saw, to his great surprise, Mr.

Fernald talking with 'Lish Davis.

"h.e.l.lo! got your eyes open again, eh?" the old instructor cried, and Seth would have arisen to his feet but that Mr. Fernald's hand was laid heavily upon his shoulder.

"I'm all right now, sir, an' I promised to go to school with Bill an'

Dan."

"It's a little late for anything of that kind now, my boy, seeing that the clock has just struck ten. What's all this talk I hear of your showing the members of the Department how to effect a rescue?"

"It wasn't me, sir. I only got the baby out of the window, an' somebody else must have taken him from there."

"It was Jerry Walters who came up the ladder," 'Lish Davis interrupted.

"The credit of saving the child belongs to you, Seth," Mr. Fernald said, decidedly, "and I hope there'll be no question about its being given.

Tell us how it was done."

"There isn't much to tell, sir. I jest heard the baby yellin', an' went in after it. Then the smoke made me feel silly, an' I had to keep sayin'

to myself what I heard you tellin' the cla.s.s, about a clear head bein'

the next best thing to a ladder, else I'd gone under before I found the rope."

"Now there's the kind of a pupil to have!" Mr. Fernald cried proudly.

"There's some satisfaction in knowing that what a man says will be remembered when the time comes that it may be of profit. You shall go regularly into the cla.s.s from this out, Seth Bartlett, whether the commissioners approve or not, and we'll find some one else to do the odd jobs."

"Do you really think I stand a better chance of gettin' into the Department because of tryin' to pull the kid through?" Seth asked in surprise, and Josh Fernald replied to the great delight of both the boy and Mr. Davis:

"If I can bring any influence to bear, you shall be there very soon, my lad, and at all events, from this time out you will be kept at work on the drill. Ninety-four's kid is of considerably more importance to-night than he was this morning."

After such praise as this it seemed impossible for Seth to remain in bed, and finally 'Lish Davis consented to his going down-stairs for a time.

The hour which Seth spent on the lower floor on this night was the most pleasant he had ever known.

The men did not occupy the time in praising him, but discussed the rescue again and again, and never once was the boy spoken to, or of, as the "Amateur."

'Lish Davis insisted on his remaining in the engine-house all night, but gave Seth distinctly to understand that however many alarms might come in, he was not to so much as think of going out with the company.

"You'll be on sick leave till to-morrow morning, when Josh Fernald is expecting you at headquarters, and then it'll be for him to say when we're to see you again."

"But of course I'll sleep at Mrs. Hanson's same's I've been doin'?"

"I can't say how it'll be, lad; but whatever Josh allows must be done will come nigh being right."

What between his happiness and the sleep he had indulged in during the early part of the evening, Seth Bartlett was unusually wakeful, and until past midnight he lay in a cot near 'Lish Davis's bed speculating upon what Mr. Fernald might be able to do in regard to procuring his admission to the school at headquarters.

Then slumber interfered with his waking dreams, and he knew no more until daylight next morning, when he crept softly out of bed to perform his customary task.

He did the work on the lower floor lest he should disturb those who were yet asleep, and was getting well along with it when Joe Black came down.

"How are you feelin' this mornin', kid?" he asked, in an unusually friendly tone.

"Fine as silk. That medicine Mr. Davis gave me fixed everything in great shape."

"I see you're still blackin' boots."

"Why shouldn't I be? It was the bargain that I could do it till I got into the Department."

"I'm allowing 'Lish will claim you're so near there now that you must graduate from this kind of work."