strate against
any order 'Lish Davis might give, and even had he been disposed to do
so, there was not time.

The driver had hardly ceased speaking before the doors were swung open,
and Ninety-four was drawn out with a rush and a clatter that sounded
like sweetest music in Seth's ears.

"'Lish kind er took the wind out of your sails that time, Amateur," the
house-watchman said with a smile as he closed the heavy doors. "Ain't
one fire in twenty-four hours enough for you?"

"I did _so_ want to go out once with Ninety-four, an' it seems too bad
to miss this chance for I'm not likely to get another."

"Why not?"

"'Cause I can't expect to sleep here very often, an' there's no show of
my happenin' 'round at the very minute an alarm comes in."

"Don't be so certain about that. You'll go out with them yet, or I'm
mightily mistaken. You'd better take pattern by your partner, and get
what sleep you can. That's a rule we in the Department have, and it
comes handy at times."

Dan had leaped from the straw when the alarm first sounded; but instead
of making any attempt to follow the engine, crept back again with a
smile of content.

It is not probable he would have deprived himself of sleep even if
permission had been given for him to ride on the engine.

Seth lay down by Dan's side, and despite his disappointment was soon
slumbering peacefully; but only for half an hour, because at the end of
that time he was awakened once more by the noisy return of Ninety-four.

The alarm had been sent in for a small blaze in one room of an apartment
house, and was extinguished almost immediately by the company whose
quarters were nearest the signal station, therefore Ninety-four's men
had no labor to perform.

However, it became necessary to wash down, make ready for a new fire in
the furnace of the engine, roll Ninety-four and her tender to their
respective places on the floor, adjust the harness, start the clock
once more (for it had been stopped by the weight set free when the first
stroke of the alarm rang out), and replace the weight which fastened the
horses in their stalls.

In a portion of this work Seth assisted while Dan remained apparently
asleep on the straw, and when the captain had sent in to headquarters
the three-fours, followed by Ninety-four's number, thus telling that she
was again ready for duty, 'Lish Davis said to the amateur:

"You didn't miss much that time, eh?"

"I missed going out with the company,