cross his
throat with his fingers in order that he should be put on oath, as it
were, asked regarding the truth of the statements made.

"It's jest as I said, an' he's goin' to have a reg'lar uniform, all but
the buttons, to-night."

"Did you hear any of Ninety-four's men say so?"

"I wasn't there, of course; but you know Seth Bartlett don't go 'round
shootin' his mouth off the way some of the fellers do, an' you can hang
up to everythin' he says; so I'm certain it's true."

"It must be," Bill replied in a tone of conviction, and then approaching
Seth gravely he extended his hand, saying as the amateur fireman grasped
it:

"I'm mighty glad you've struck it so rich, old man, an' that's a fact.
All of us know you've been runnin' to fires pretty reg'lar; but we never
b'lieved you'd really get into the Department."

"I ain't there yet," Seth replied modestly; "but Mr. Davis says it'll be
my own fault if I don't get in, so you can make up your mind I'll keep
my eyes open mighty wide."

One by one Seth's business acquaintances followed Bill's example in the
matter of giving credence to the wonderful story, until it was a
generally accepted fact that no more than the truth had been told.

There were some doubters, however; but they were so few in number that
it seemed as if there was no longer any question regarding the matter,
and during the half-hour which followed Seth was kept busy answering the
questions of the curious and, perhaps, envious ones.

The astounding news brought by Seth and Dan had caused Sam Barney's
friends and acquaintances to forget for the time being that this
promising detective was about to depart from New York; but Bill Dean,
who had taken it upon himself to thus aid Jip Collins, soon bethought
himself of the business in hand, and reminded the others of their duty
by saying:

"Look here, fellers, we mustn't hang 'round here much longer, else there
won't be a chance of gettin' Sam away to-day. He's got to go on the
emigrant train, an' the railroad folks will look for him jest as I said,
'cause I made a good deal of talk 'bout his bein' a detective. You see I
thought they'd be glad to have him go on their cars if we could make 'em
b'lieve half as much as Sam tells 'bout himself."

Thus reminded of their duty the young merchants set out in a body for
the Cortlandt Street Ferry, much to the annoyance of those pedestrians
against whom they jostled and tumbled in their eagerness to make way
th