ts that it seemed to him Master Roberts had no
more than left the room before he returned laden with packages.

As on the previous night he was accompanied by Bill Dean, who exclaimed
in a tone of satisfaction as he entered the room:

"It seems like as if I'm allers 'round when you fellers are puttin' up
swell lay-outs, don't it?" Then getting a full view of Seth for the
first time he cried in an accent of unquestionable admiration, "Well,
I'll be jiggered! Dan said you was lookin' mighty fine; but I never
thought you could flash up like this! Why, you're a reg'lar fireman
already."

"You wouldn't think that if you could hear what Ninety-four's men say,
an', besides, there's no brass buttons on this uniform, you know."

"I ain't certain but it looks better without 'em. Anyhow, you're way up
in G."

"He ought'er know it by this time," Dan added with a laugh. "Everybody
has been tellin' him so, an' he come mighty near paralyzin' Miss Hanson.
She jest threw up both hands when we opened the door."

"Well, I don't wonder; but say, I didn't come round to sponge off you
fellers, 'cause I never thought of your havin' two such lay-outs one
right after the other. I didn't know but you'd like to hear how we'd
left Jip, an' then agin I wanted to talk 'bout bunkin' in here with you
fellers."

"This is Seth's spread; but you'll hold on an' get your share of it now
you're here," and Dan began to arrange the food on the table in the most
tempting manner possible.

"Of course you'll stop," Seth added, "an' even if you'd known we was
goin' to kind of celebrate, what would be the harm in comin' 'round an'
gettin' some?"

"Well, I don't want you to think I'm playin' it on you, that's all; but
it struck me a little while ago that if we could make a trade with the
woman what runs this house, it would come easier on all hands. Now, that
bed is plenty big enough for three, an' it ain't likely you'll be here
much of the time, except to sleep, so why wouldn't it be a good idea to
see how much extra she'll charge to let me in with you fellers?"

Seth knew of no good reason why Bill should not be allowed to share
their palatial quarters, providing Mrs. Hanson did not object.

He knew Master Dean to be an industrious, well-intentioned boy, whose
company, now that he was to be absent from home so much, might be
desirable to Dan, and at once signified his willingness that the
landlady should be consulted.

"I reckon Dan will be lonesom