t the question of lodgings yet remained to
be settled.

"We'll go up now to see what Mr. Davis wants, an' then we must hustle
for lodgin's. There'll be no more hangin' 'round Ninety-four's house
after dark, 'cause it looks too much as if we was beggin'," Seth said as
he met Dan, who reported that it wouldn't pay to buy another stock of
papers that day.

Master Roberts made no reply to this remark.

He secretly hoped that it might be possible for them to sleep in the
engine-house one more night at least, and believed Seth was foolishly
sensitive about the matter.

According to his views on the subject, there was no good reason why they
should not go even so far as to ask the firemen for a shelter, more
particularly since they appeared to be so well disposed toward Seth.

The two boys arrived in the vicinity of the engine-house ten minutes
before the time set, and Seth insisted that they should not present
themselves until the hour named, consequently both lounged around near
by until the clock struck three, when they marched boldly up to the open
door.

The driver was on the lower floor as if awaiting their arrival, and
greeted Seth in a manner both familiar and kind:

"So you've come, have you, Amateur? I was beginning to think you'd
struck a business rush, and I shouldn't see you before to-morrow."

"You said we was to come at three o'clock, so I waited 'round till
then."

"Afraid to get here ahead of time, eh?"

"I thought it was best to do as you told us, though we've been loafin'
outside for ten minutes."

Mr. Davis chuckled audibly, as if in the statement was something very
comical, and not until after several seconds had elapsed did he speak,
when it was to ask:

"Well, what have you two kids done about finding a place where you can
sleep?"

"We're goin' to hustle lively after we leave here. We had to earn a
little money first, an' it was pretty late when we got down-town, so we
couldn't do any huntin'; but you can make certain some place will flash
up before dark."

"I wouldn't wonder if it did, Amateur, I wouldn't wonder if it did. What
made you late in getting down-town? I thought you left here earlier
than usual."

"So we did, sir; but we met Jip Collins, an'----"

"The kid who started the fire in the lumber-yard?"

"Yes, sir, an' he's mighty sorry for what he did."

Then Seth repeated what had been said by the repentant boy, and gave a
detailed account of the interview with Sam Barney