o
learn all the business, an' then when I'm big enough, if my record is
all right, I'll slip in for a fireman as easy as winkin'."

"Look here, Seth, what kind of a stiff are you tryin' to give me?" Dan
asked sharply.

"It's a straight tip, old man. Mr. Davis jest told me all about it, an'
says I mustn't black boots any more except for Ninety-four's men. He
didn't even want me to do that; but I hung on till Mr. Dunton backed me
up, an' he finally gave in. Say, do you know they've bought a uniform
for me jest like they wear, only there's no brass buttons on it."

"Oh, go 'way, Seth. You've slipped your trolley."

"No, it's all straight goods, Dan. What kept me up there so long this
mornin' was talkin' 'bout it. I'm to go to-night and get the clothes.
The only thing that worries me is I can't pay for them myself."

"Anybody'd think to hear you talk that was hard luck. Look here, Seth,
if what you've been givin' me is straight, you've struck a terrible
snap, an' a feller who'd kick 'cause somebody gives him a suit of
clothes, ought'er go bare-backed."

"It would look a good deal better, Dan, if I had the money to buy the
things, rather than let them give 'em to me."

"I ain't so certain 'bout that. The biggest part of it is gettin' 'em,
an' if they're willin' to put up I'd say let 'em buy anythin' they
wanted. Look here, I can't quite get it through my head that things is
the way you tell, 'cause it don't seem likely a boy could get in at
headquarters."

Seth repeated to his partner all that 'Lish Davis had said, and when the
story was concluded Master Roberts commented on it in this fashion:

"You'll be out er sight, Seth; that's all there is to it!" Then,
realizing how his brother news-venders might be surprised, he added,
"Come on quick, an' let's tell as many fellers as we can before we go to
see Bill Dean ship Sam Barney to Philadelphy!"

Seth was by no means averse to making known his good fortune, and very
shortly afterward the two were surrounded by a throng of incredulous
news-venders and bootblacks, the majority of whom insisted that "they
wouldn't be stuffed with any such yarns, 'cause of course a feller as
small as Seth Bartlett couldn't get a job in the Department, even if it
was only to sweep floors, wash windows, an' that sort of thing. Besides,
if he was taken on at headquarters, nobody would give him a show of
learnin' the drill."

Bill Dean called Dan aside, and after first persuading him to