e boys could not have shown more fear lest his command should
not be obeyed.

Every fellow present felt that it was his duty to eat a generous portion
of each dish before him, and he did it hurriedly lest Dan might have
cause for complaint.

Nor were the guests who had paid "their cold dollars," as Dan explained,
idle.

All three ate heartily to the evident satisfaction of the others, and
'Lish Davis even entered so thoroughly into the spirit of the affair as
to suggest that they send for another dish of sauerkraut.

In ten minutes or less the hunger of the guests was in a measure
appeased, and as they dallied with the dainties Dan set in motion that
portion of the entertainment which, in his opinion, was to be the
crowning feature.

[Illustration: THE BLOW-OUT _Page_ 298.]

"It ain't many times that duffers like us has a chance to rub up against
Ninety-four's men, an' we want to show 'em that we know what's what,"
he had said privately to Bill the evening previous, and now was come the
moment when the exhibition should be made.

After making certain that all were giving him their attention, he rose
slowly to his feet, looked round as if to collect his thoughts, and said
in a loud tone, much as though repeating something he had committed to
memory:

"Fellers, an' Ninety-four's men are in it, too: We spread ourselves on
this 'ere blow-out 'cause Seth Bartlett has got into the Department
owin' to havin' saved a kid, and now if all hands are 'way up full we'll
have a little speech from Mr. 'Lish Davis, driver of Ninety-four engine,
who's one of the three what gave up a big cold dollar for this lot of
stuff."

Then Dan sat down with a complacent smile upon his face, as if believing
he had said the right thing in the right place, and Mr. Davis actually
appeared embarrassed.

He had come to the feast expecting to enjoy himself by listening to the
sidewalk merchants, and found that it was himself who would provide a
goodly portion of the entertainment.

Never doubting but that this had been all arranged beforehand, Seth
gazed at the driver, wondering why he was so slow in making a response,
while Jerry and Joe laughed heartily, for they knew that 'Lish had been
taken wholly by surprise.

However, the driver of Ninety-four was not one who would be discomfited
by such as Dan Roberts, and he began his speech, with considerable
hesitation, but warming to his subject as he proceeded.

"I didn't allow that I was to