errible duffer, else He'd
never let me run up against Ninety-four's company."

During the forenoon of the next day Seth wandered around the gymnasium
trying to act upon the advice given by his friends in the matter of
"keeping cool," and then came the time to put on the new uniform, for he
had been assured by Mr. Fernald that it was perfectly proper for him to
wear the helmet and the brass buttons, even though he was not a regular
member of the corps.

When all was ready for the march to Riverside Drive something occurred
which caused the boy considerable uneasiness, for, instead of setting
out with the members of the corps, he, with six others were ordered to
fall into line by themselves.

Fifty firemen, picked members of the Department, ranged themselves on
either side, in advance and behind as an escort, and no less a person
than Chief Bonner himself took a station at their head.

Why he was thus separated from the men with whom he had practised Seth
could not imagine, and there came into his mind as the order to march
was given, the thought that some serious mistake had been made--that he
was in the wrong place, and, therefore, would utterly fail of acting his
part properly.

His astonishment and uneasiness increased when the squad with their
escort, having arrived at the Drive, were stationed in line facing the
river, with their backs toward Seventy-Sixth Street, the Sixty-Ninth
Regiment Band a short distance behind them.

Why these men, two of whom he had never seen before, should with himself
be singled out and stationed apart from the others, was a mystery which
Seth failed to unravel, speculate as he might.

He saw the Life-Saving Corps, in whose ranks he should have been, march
up and take their station not far from the grand stand which was
thronged with spectators.

Then, in line with the other engines, he saw Ninety-four with 'Lish
Davis holding the reins, and he fancied the driver winked at him in a
most mysterious manner as he passed.

A moment later he heard a shrill cry:

"Hi! Get on to Seth! What's he standin' out there all by his lonesome
for?"

He knew it was Dan who had made this remark; but could not see him
without changing his position, therefore he remained motionless.

The band was playing, gayly-dressed people were watching curiously, and
in many cases admiringly, the vast number of blue-coated men who
represented the finest Department in the world, and of all those to be
seen