An Amateur Fireman Part 16

NEW LODGINGS.

Dan was so eager to see the new lodgings that he could not wait with any degree of patience until Seth had fully satisfied himself regarding certain matters connected with the leasing of them, but insisted on setting out at once, and his partner felt obliged to accompany him.

Arriving at the address given them by 'Lish Davis, they found affairs exactly as he had stated.

The room which had been offered at such a low rental was in the attic of an old-fashioned, pitch-roof house, and although it was not such an apartment as could readily have been let to adults, to the boys it appeared as the acme of comfort and even luxury.

Mrs. Hanson, the mistress of the dwelling, had provided a fairly good bed for the lodgers, and the clothing on it looked so rest-inviting that Dan declared that it was hard to resist the temptation to "turn in" at once.

There were two chairs, a rude stand on which were a water-pitcher and a basin, a small mirror, and an old table.

The window boasted of a curtain; but the floor was carpetless, save for two well-worn rugs.

Dan, fearing lest Seth might refuse to hire this very swell apartment because of the suspicion that some of Ninety-four's men had agreed to pay a certain portion of the rental in order that it might be offered at an exceedingly low price, promptly announced his willingness to take the room, and when this had been done it seemed to Master Bartlett as if he was in duty bound to ratify the bargain.

"We'll pay in advance," he said, as he counted out the required amount, thereby reducing his cash account to an exceedingly small margin.

"There's no need of your doing anything like that," Mrs. Hanson replied kindly. "Mr. Davis says he'll guarantee that the rent is paid promptly, and that should be enough for me, without taking money before it is due."

"Mr. Davis is mighty good, but there's no reason why he should back a couple of boys who are able to pay their own way. The rent is so cheap I was 'fraid he'd been puttin' up money on our account, so's we could afford to hire it."

"He said you were mighty independent, and I guess he's right; but you needn't be afraid of getting any more than you pay for. This room couldn't be let to many people, and those who would be willing to live in such a place we would not want in the house, except in a case like yours, where a friend of ours says everything is as it should be. Mr.

Davis is a very nice man."

"You can jest bet he is," Seth replied emphatically. "He's been mighty good to me."

Then, having counted the money and promised to give a receipt in due form for the same, Mrs. Hanson left her new lodgers, and Dan cried when they were alone:

"Say, Seth, this kind-er knocks the spots out er Baxter's shed, eh? It ain't costin' me but ten cents a week more'n the other place did, an'

that bed is worth three times them figgers. Talk 'bout fifteen-cent lodgin's! Why, the best I ever saw wasn't a marker alongside of this!"

"It's fine, an' no mistake; but we've got to put up twenty-five cents every week for it."

"That'll be all right. I owe you a quarter for this week's rent, an'

I'll pay it to-morrow or next day; I've got enough in my pocket now, but kind-er reckoned on havin' a swell lay-out to-night for a celebration.

Hold on here, an' I'll go after some grub."

"Do you s'pose we ought'er thank Mr. Davis now for findin' the room for us?"

"It'll do jest as well in the mornin', an' you're so 'fraid of hangin'

'round the engine-house that it don't seem as if you'd better go there for nothin' else but to tell him what we think of the place."

Seth would have been pleased could he have told Ninety-four's driver what he thought of the new quarters, but Dan's suggestion as to "hangin'

'round" was sufficient to prevent him from venturing out.

Then he tried to dissuade Dan from squandering his money on a feast, arguing that it would be wiser to keep what he had lest there should be a sudden lull in business; but Master Roberts refused to listen.

"Unless you're 'fraid to trust me for my share of the rent, I'm goin' to spread myself to-night. It's too bad we hadn't known 'bout this before we come up-town, for then we might er knocked the eyes out er some of the fellers by showin' it to 'em."

"I don't believe we'd better have too much company, or Miss Hanson will make a kick. It ain't likely she's willin' to have a crowd of fellers rushin' in and out for fifty cents a week."

"I s'pose that's so; but all the same I'd like to have the gang see how we're fixed."

Then Master Roberts went out to make the purchases, and Seth was left alone to familiarize himself with his seemingly luxurious surroundings.

Fully half an hour elapsed before Dan returned, and then he was accompanied by Master Dean.

"I found Bill hangin' 'round Ninety-four's house lookin' for you, an'

thought the best thing I could do was to bring him right up here," Dan said as he ostentatiously placed half a dozen small packages on the table.

"Ain't you fellers slingin' a terrible lot of style?" Bill asked, as he gazed around him. "It strikes me that business must be boomin' if you can afford all this."

"It'll only cost twenty-five cents a week for each one of us," Seth replied, as if thinking something in the way of an apology was necessary.

"What?" and Master Dean was so thoroughly astonished as to be unable to speak for several seconds. Then he cried eagerly: "Say, you don't want to take another feller in, I s'pose? I'd like to get sich a snap as this!"

"I don't know as Miss Hanson would want to take another lodger. You might ask her, though, after we've been here a spell."

"Why not have it settled now?"

"It seems to me as if you'd better hold off for a while till she sees how we flash up. 'Cordin' to what she said, I don't believe we'd got in here if it hadn't been for Mr. Davis."

"I'd like to come mighty well," Bill said longingly, and then his attention was attracted to Dan's movements.

Master Roberts was busily engaged displaying his purchases on the table in such a manner as to make the greatest possible show, and there was no question but that he had succeeded in "layin' himself out in great shape."

Fully a pound of bologna sausage cut in thick slices, four large crullers, two smoked herrings, two ham sandwiches, a pint of peanuts, and four apples caused the shaky table to look as if literally laden with dainties.

Dan pushed it toward the bed, that one of the party might sit there, placed the two chairs at either end, and invited his companions to join in the feast.

"Pitch in an' fill yourselves way up full! This is the first swell house I ever lived in, an' I'm willin' to pay for style. After this I reckon Seth an' me will skin along for grub same's we've allers done, but I'm goin' to have one blow-out if it takes every cent I've got."

No second invitation was needed, and not until a goodly portion of the eatables had disappeared did either speak. Then it was Bill Dean who broke the partial silence.

"Say, I've raised money enough to send Sam Barney to Philadelphy, if you fellers come up with the nickels you promised."

"How much will it cost?" and Dan began searching his pockets for the contribution which had been promised in his name.

"I can get the duffer over there for seventy-five cents, by sendin' him with the emigrants. I gave him a big stiff this afternoon 'bout how we fellers would give him a chance to show how much of a detective he is, an' he puffed 'way up, allowin' there wasn't many men on the force in this town who could beat him. He believes it's a great snap to go off huntin' after Jip, an' hasn't got head enough to think of how he'll get back."

"Here's my nickel," and Seth produced the money, Dan following his partner's example. "I'll be glad if we can get rid of Sam; but I'm 'fraid that won't settle things for Jip."

Then he repeated all 'Lish Davis had said regarding the matter, and when he concluded Master Dean was looking remarkably serious.

"If the firemen are goin' to run Jip down, there ain't much show we can keep him out er trouble. Don't you s'pose the driver would kind-er help somehow?"

"From what he said this afternoon it didn't seem as if he would, but perhaps he'll change his mind after a while," Dan replied, not minded to cloud this first merry-making in the new home by disagreeable thoughts, and attempted to change the subject of the conversation by speculating as to what sort of a welcome Sam Barney was most likely to receive from the Philadelphia boys.