An Amateur Fireman

Excerpt: ...though," Seth said thoughtfully, speaking half to himself, and then taking some coins from his pocket, he added, "You go out and buy the stuff. I'll wait here." "Why don't you come with me?" "I'm 'fraid if Ninety-four's men should see me they'd think I was runnin' 'round swellin'." "Well, s'posen they should? Haven't you got the right? Wouldn't most any feller who's got as near into the Department as you have?" "Mr. Davis said I was to go down-town to-morrow mornin', an' perhaps that's all he thought I ought'er do, so I'll hang on here instead of goin' out ag'in." Dan was not averse to making the purchases, and so deeply occupied was Seth with pleasant thoughts that it seemed to him Master Roberts had no more than left the room before he returned laden with packages. As on the previous night he was accompanied by Bill Dean, who exclaimed in a tone of satisfaction as he entered the room: "It seems like as if I'm allers 'round when you fellers are puttin' up swell lay-outs, don't it?" Then getting a full view of Seth for the first time he cried in an accent of unquestionable admiration, "Well, I'll be jiggered! Dan said you was lookin' mighty fine; but I never thought you could flash up like this! Why, you're a reg'lar fireman already." "You wouldn't think that if you could hear what Ninety-four's men say, an', besides, there's no brass buttons on this uniform, you know." "I ain't certain but it looks better without 'em. Anyhow, you're way up in G." "He ought'er know it by this time," Dan added with a laugh. "Everybody has been tellin' him so, an' he come mighty near paralyzin' Miss Hanson. She jest threw up both hands when we opened the door." "Well, I don't wonder; but say, I didn't come round to sponge off you fellers, 'cause I never thought of your havin' two such lay-outs one right after the other. I didn't know but you'd like to hear how we'd left Jip, an' then agin I wanted to talk 'bout bunkin' in here with you fellers." "This is Seth's...