s as if this remark pleased him exceedingly,
and put an end to the conversation by saying:

"Look in here to-morrow night, lad, and we'll see whether it's possible
to help out your firebug or not. Now go home and turn in, for you can't
get too much sleep while you're young."

Seth obeyed without delay what was little less than a command, and,
hastening to Mrs. Hanson's dwelling, repeated to his roommates and Teddy
Bowser all the driver had said to him concerning the possibilities of
aiding Jip Collins.

The boys were sadly disappointed because there was no actual promise of
assistance.

They had come to believe, because they hoped it would be so, that Mr.
Davis could immediately devise some plan whereby Jip might be released
from prison, and since he did not appear to be sympathetic and
enthusiastic on the subject they feared he might fail to take any active
part.

"I am certain he will get a lawyer for him anyhow," Seth said in reply
to their complaint, "an' that's what we couldn't do ourselves. If it
wasn't for goin' to headquarters I'd try to see the poor fellow
to-morrow. Of course I wouldn't be able to do anythin' for him, but it
would make him feel kind of good to know we was willin' to help."

"I'll go there to-morrow," Dan cried, pleased at the idea of doing
something, even though he could not hope to effect any change in Jip's
condition. "I'll tell him what we've tried to do, an' there'll be some
satisfaction in that anyhow."

Then Seth proposed that Master Roberts should hang around outside the
Department headquarters at about six o'clock in the afternoon in order
to report the result of the interview, after which he would visit Mr.
Davis again.

With this programme for the coming day thus settled upon, the amateur
fireman suggested that Teddy Bowser go home in order that he and his
roommates might retire, and half an hour later Mrs. Hanson's lodgers
were sleeping soundly.

The sun had not shown his face above the eastern horizon next morning
when Seth was at work in Ninety-four's quarters, performing such labor
as came to hand, and, owing to the fact that the company had been
fighting fire nearly all night, no one save the house watchman was
stirring when the amateur set off for his regular duties.

At fifteen minutes before the hour of seven "Ninety-four's kid," as some
of the clerks at headquarters had already designated Seth, entered the
gymnasium with a bustling air as if the hardest tasks wo