ters was built, the
city hired an old sugar warehouse on One Hundred and Fifty-eighth Street
and North River, where the men were shown how to use scaling ladders and
a life net, and I've been there when one class counted up sixty
scholars, all of us old hands at the business. Remember this, Amateur,
you'll never be too old to go to school, leastways that's what I've
found.

"After the new headquarters building was opened in '87 the sugar
warehouse was given up, and we firemen had what you might almost call a
college. There's a yard at the back of the building nigh on to a hundred
feet square, which is put up in such shape that water can be used the
same as you would at a fire, and here drills go on like this, for
instance: An alarm is sent out for a certain company when they least
expect it, and the men find themselves called into headquarters to show
what they can do. All that you're going to see, lad, and talking about
getting points, why, you can learn more there in one exhibition drill
than you could at forty fires, 'cause you're understanding just how the
thing is going to be done.

"You'll find when one of these unexpected drills comes off that the
engine is run into the yard, hose coupled on to the hydrant, dragged up
to the top of the building, water started and shut off, ladders used,
and in fact the whole business gone through the same as if a hundred
lives were in danger."

"Do the men really work as hard there as they do at a fire?" Seth asked.

"Do they, Amateur? Well, now, you can be mighty certain they do, 'cause
it's owing to what they show at such times that gives them their rating.
Now, for instance, Ninety-four's company is in the first grade;
Eighty-six, that we bucked up against on that storage warehouse, is in
the second grade; and there ain't a great many third grade nowadays,
'cause the men are drilled too well. And here's a point I want you to
understand, Amateur: In case some man comes along and tries to tell you
that the Department in this city or that is better than what we've got
here, stick straight up for the fact that the New York Fire Department
heads the world, and you won't be a grain away from the truth. Taking it
all in all I'm free to say, open and above board, that you can't find a
Department anywhere that can beat this, and I'm reckoning pretty strong
that you wouldn't find one to equal us, taking all things into
consideration.

"Now, we'll suppose you was old enough, and st