I send you up to the house, Amateur?"

"Can't I stay till Ninety-four pulls out?"

"Well, of all gluttons, you're the worst!" 'Lish Davis cried as if in
delight. "Dosed 'way up till you can hardly wink, and yet wanting to
hold on to the last! Ben Dunton is caring for the team, and I reckon
you and I had better pull out in this 'ere hurry-up."

"What about the fire?"

"It's under control, though I'm allowing it'll be a full two hours
before Ninety-four gets the word to leave."

Then Davis left the boy a moment, and when he returned the patrol-wagon
was driven slowly out past the laboring engines, through the throng of
spectators, into the unobstructed streets, after which the horses were
urged to their full speed.

"There's no need of takin' me back, Mr. Davis. I ain't much worse than I
was the time Dan an' me was burned out."

"But then it needed a night's rest to put you into shape, and I'm not
minded to run any risks. Ninety-four's kid is getting to be so near a
man that we can't afford to take any chances with him."

"Hello! Amateur in trouble again?" the house watchman asked when 'Lish
Davis helped Seth into the building, and the driver replied proudly:

"I don't allow he's an amateur any longer, Bob, but fit to be one of us
in proper form. He saved a baby, and came mighty nigh knocking under."

"How did he get a chance to do anything like that?"

"Slipped past me, and followed Jerry and Joe; I don't rightly know the
whole of it yet. The Chief allowed it was a medal job, though one can't
be given, except to members of the Department."

"Then Seth is entitled to it, for he's on our rolls as if belongin' to
us."

"We'll see that he gets all he's earned, Bob," 'Lish Davis replied, and
then he conducted the boy upstairs, insisting that he should go to bed.

"I'll be all right after a spell," Seth protested, and the driver
replied grimly, in his usual harsh tone:

"That's what I'm going to make certain of, kid. Peel off your clothes
and turn in if you don't want to have trouble with me."

Seth obeyed with a laugh, and was equally tractable a few moments later
when 'Lish Davis brought a glass half full of a certain disagreeable
mixture for him to drink.

Then the boy's eyelids grew heavy; he said to himself he would remain
awake until Ninety-four returned, but the thought was hardly more than
formed in his mind before slumber overcame him.

It was late in the evening when he was awakened by the sound