"Will Ninety-four's men be there?" Seth asked eagerly, trying hard not to show how delighted he was by this praise.

"Surely; they are to take part in the parade, and you can see 'Lish Davis display his skill at driving. There are no lack of spectators at such exhibitions, and you will show, not only to a vast throng of citizens, but the mayor and heads of the Department, whether you are worthy of receiving an appointment."

"Will that settle matters for me?" Seth asked in surprise.

"I don't say you will not be able to get the appointment without it; but it is an opportunity of making a leap directly into the Department, and of finding yourself suddenly on equal footing with Davis, Walters, or Black, for they are intending to make a strong effort to have you a.s.signed to their company."

Seth hardly needed this incentive to labor, for he was already doing all a boy of his age could do; but it caused him to feel extremely anxious regarding the final result, and, noting this, 'Lish Davis said one evening in a fatherly tone:

"You are working yourself all up into a snarl over the fear of not pulling through, and the result will be, if you don't have a care, that your head won't be of the clearest when the big day comes."

"I'm not afraid but that I'll be able to go through with our part of the show all right, but the trouble is that I'll show up for no more than a boy, and that's what bothers me."

"You can't pose for anything else, lad, seeing as how you are a kid; but it won't work against you in face of the record. Go ahead as if there wasn't a thought in your mind but to show the people how we swarm over a building when the need arises, and that's all any man can do."

"Where is the exhibition to be held?"

"On the Riverside Drive. Number 38 is the house that's been loaned for the occasion, and you lads couldn't have a better building on which to work."

"Do you mean to say we're goin' to range a decent house? There'll be considerable damage done if we have the reg'lar scalin' ladders; the teeth can't fail to tear away a good bit of the woodwork."

"You'll only use the middle row of windows, and over the sills of these will be fastened timber shields, or casings, so that you can swing your ladders without fear of so much as a pin's scratch."

"Where are the medals to be presented?"

"A stand will be built on the Drive, and there all the swells will sit.

The mayor does the act, and after it's over we poor duffers who haven't particularly distinguished ourselves will give a parade and drill.

You'll see us respond to a call in great shape. It's always a high time of the Department, for it's the only day in the year when we have a chance to show what we can do when need comes."

The more Seth heard regarding the proposed manoeuvres the greater was his eagerness to receive further instruction, and had he been allowed to do as he pleased, the cla.s.s would have drilled not less than eighteen hours out of every twenty-four.

"Practise as much as you please, Seth, but you are out of my jurisdiction now, for I can't suggest any improvement on your work," Mr.

Fernald said, but the praise did not prevent this particular "probationer" from spending nearly every moment of his time at the drill.

Then came the night before the eventful day, and Seth, who was to sleep at headquarters, had come down for a chat with his roommates and the members of Ninety-four's company.

"You can bet we'll be there, Seth," Dan Roberts said emphatically. "If it hadn't been for the show you're goin' to give we'd bought the Third-Avenoo store yesterday; but Bill an' me both allowed it couldn't be done till to-morrow, 'cause we ain't to be cheated out of seein' how much you know 'bout the fire business. We'll be right in the front row, no matter how much the swells crowd for good places."

"Are you goin' to act jest like as if you was a reg'lar fireman?" Bill asked, much as if believing that would be impossible.

"I shall go through the same drill as the others."

"Well, old man, I hope you'll get along all right, an' it seems as if you ought'er after workin' so hard. Look for us when your crowd gets there, an' you can be certain of havin' more cheers than anybody else, for we'll yell ourselves blue in the face but that it shall go in good shape."

"Don't make too much noise," Seth said pleadingly. "You know I'm only a boy, an' there'll be lots of men who can work all 'round me, so it wouldn't be jest the thing for me to be cheered when I'm the poorest of the lot."

"We know our business," Dan said decidedly, "and you needn't worry but that we'll do the thing up brown."

After giving his friends a general outline of the exhibition, as he understood it, Seth went to Ninety-four's house, and was there received with an unusually hearty welcome.

"How are you feeling, kid?" 'Lish Davis asked solicitously.

"All right."

"Little fidgety about to-morrow's work?"

"I'm hopin' I won't make a fool of myself, of course."

"You needn't worry. Josh Fernald says you'll make as good a showing as any one there, and he knows. The only chance of your failing will come from borrowing too much trouble. Remember what you said to yourself the night the baby was saved: 'A clear head is the next best thing to a ladder,' and there mustn't be any cobwebs in yours. Don't pay attention to the crowd, but keep in mind that you're only going through the drill, so's the commissioners can see whether you're ripe for an appointment."

"What are you counting on wearing?" Jerry Walters asked in a peculiar tone.

"What I've got on, of course, seem' 's it's all the decent clothes I own, an' they belong to you of Ninety-four. I'm countin' on cleanin' 'em up in great shape, an' folks can't see where they've been mended. Miss Hanson fixed the coat so you wouldn't know the sleeve ever had a hole in it."

"I'm allowing the others will shine terrible bright."

"They've all got new uniforms, an' are bound to look mighty fine."

"You don't seem to be sulking on account of having to wear old togs,"

'Lish Davis said with a peculiar twinkle in his eyes.

"What would be the use? I can't have 'em, an' I'll go through my part of the drill jest the same as if I was covered with bra.s.s b.u.t.tons."

"It's coming kind of tough on Ninety-four, eh, Jerry?" the driver asked.

"All hands of us swelling, and our kid rushing around at the head with patched trousers? The boys in the Department will think we haven't earned much money this year."

"I don't think you ought'er feel bad 'bout it if I don't," Seth said, trying hard to appear unconcerned. "People will know you have something else to do with your money than buy swell clothes for me."

"I ain't so certain about that, my boy. At all events we don't count on taking any chances," 'Lish said with a laugh. "This ain't the first time we've talked about a new uniform, and somehow or other the tailor happened around this afternoon with one that looks as if it might fit you. Bring it down, Jerry."

Now Seth understood why this conversation had been begun, and, while he was rejoiced by the thought that he would be dressed as well as the other members of the corps, there was in his mind a certain uneasiness about accepting such a favor in addition to the many which had been bestowed upon him.

"I'm owin' Ninety-four so much, Mr. Davis, that it'll be terrible if I don't get an appointment after all, an' it wouldn't----"

"You can stop right where you are. This here uniform that Jerry is fetching ain't charged up against you, nor it never will be. We reckon on having the right to give a present the day you graduate, and if it'll make you feel half as good to wear it as it will us to see you in it, we'll be a mighty jolly crowd to-morrow."

By this time Jerry had returned with the garments over his arm, and Seth exclaimed as he saw them:

"Why there's a helmet, an' you've had bra.s.s b.u.t.tons put on the coat, Mr.

Davis!"

"Sure; the helmet belongs to the clothes, and on every b.u.t.ton you'll see the letters 'N. Y. F. D.'"

"But only one who was really in the Department could wear them."

"I reckon you can tackle that kind of a job to-morrow, and if it so be that you get thrown out because of not being up in the drill, it won't take long to cut them off."

"Oh, if I should fail!" and the tears came into Seth's eyes despite all his efforts to keep them back.