CHAPTER III.
JIP'S REVENGE.
If Jip Collins had not accused the Brooklyn boys of being afraid, it isdoubtful if he would have dared to set fire to the shed.
Now it seemed to him as if he must carry out the proposed crime, or sethimself down as a coward, and because of being deficient in bravery hisone fear was lest such fact should be generally known.
He was on the spot; the materials for kindling a blaze were in his arms,and it appeared at that moment to him as if it was absolutely necessaryhe should perform what he had so often threatened without reallyintending to do.
The shavings and light wood were laid at the door of the shed. Jip wascareful not to place them in such a manner as would be best calculatedto produce the fiercest blaze; but dropped them without heed, as ifsaying to himself that chance should decide whether the building caughtfire or not.
He drew several matches from his pocket, and looked aroundapprehensively, hearing in every noise the footsteps of an officercoming to drag him to prison.
After thus hesitating several moments he understood beyond aperadventure that he was alone--that nothing save his own conscienceprevented him from carrying into effect his plan of revenge.
It should be said that at this moment Jip failed to realize what mightbe the consequences of such an act.
One of the Brooklyn boys had suggested the possibility that those in theshed might be burned to death if the fire was started near the door; butto this Jip had given little heed. He could not believe that two activelads like Seth and Dan would be overpowered by a little smoke, and feltassured the firemen would arrive so soon after the blaze had beenkindled that very little damage could ensue.
After this brief time of hesitation he turned toward the pile of woodand shavings once more, with a gesture as if impatient with himself fordelaying.
Then he lighted a match, protecting the tiny flame with both hands untilit was a sturdy blaze, after which, instead of holding it to theshavings, he threw it away.
For one instant his conscience had triumphed; but it was only for aninstant.
He lighted another match, hurriedly this time, as if fearing he mightnot have the courage to apply it, and when it was fully on fire mutteredto himself:
"I'll drop it an' take the chances. If she burns, it's a go, an' if shedon't, I've done as much as I've threatened."
He suited the action to the words, and not daring to wait for theresult, ran hurriedly into the deserted street.
It was his intention to continue on, halting only when having arrived athis home; but now that the mischief might have been done he was sothoroughly alarmed that it seemed impossible he could leave thevicinity.
Partially concealing himself in a doorway he waited almost breathlessly,hoping fervently the match had been extinguished when it fell, and asthe seconds passed, each one seeming a full minute, a great hope cameinto his heart, for he believed chance had decreed that the fire shouldnot be kindled.
Then a stifled cry of fear burst from his lips, for he had suddenly seena bright tongue of flame leap up, and he knew the crime had beencommitted in fact as well as spirit.
At this moment he remembered the words of his friends from Brooklyn asdistinctly as if they had but just been spoken, and like a flash camethe realization that perhaps he had done that which would result in theloss of human life.
The flames increased until they were reflected on the wall of brick inthe rear, and it seemed to Jip as if the shed must already be in ablaze.
"Why don't somebody send in an alarm?" he said, speaking aloud in hisanxiety, although there was no one at hand to hear him. "Seth an' Danwill be burned to death if the engines don't get here mighty soon!"
Then came the thought, for he believed the fire was already beyondcontrol, that it would be impossible to rescue the boys--that he wasindeed a murderer, for it seemed to him as if an exceedingly long timehad elapsed since he first saw the tiny ray of light.
Now his one desire was that an alarm might be sent in, yet no one couldbe seen or heard in either direction.
Each moment of delay increased the peril, and when he had waited in mostpainful suspense for ten seconds it was impossible to remain inactiveany longer.
Far down the street a red light could be seen, denoting the location ofa fire-alarm station, and he ran toward it as he had never run before,so nervous when he would have opened the outer door of the box that fortwo or three seconds it was impossible to turn the handle.
When he did so the sound of the warning gong, intended to notify thepoliceman on that beat that the box was being opened, caused him tostart back in alarm, for he fancied the officers of justice were alreadyon his trail.
Jip had many times seen a call rung in, and in the merest fraction oftime he recovered from his fears as he understood the cause of thissudden noise.
Then he opened the outer door and pulled down the lever once; and fromthat instant until the first engine appeared, which was Ninety-four, itseemed to him as if an hour had passed, although in fact the company ofwhich Seth considered himself in a certain degree a member, hadresponded to the call in less than three minutes.
Jip was standing by the signal-box when a rumble and roar in thedistance told of the coming of Ninety-four, and he watched as iffascinated the fountain of sparks which went up from the smoke-stack;listened to the sharp clicking of the horses' shoes on the pavement; tothe din of the gongs, and the cries of startled pedestrians in therear--hearing everything, seeing everything, but yet all the while as ifin a dream.
Nearer and nearer came the puffing engine drawn by three plunginghorses as if it had been no more than a toy, and then, his brain stillin a whirl, Jip heard as if from afar off, the question:
"Where's the fire?"
"In Baxter's carpenter shop!"
The engine was some distance beyond him by the time he had answered thequestion, and from the opposite direction he heard the rush of a secondon-coming machine; then here and there the rumble of wheels andhoof-beats of horses driven at their utmost speed, until it seemed as ifby that one pull on the lever of the signal-box he had aroused theentire city.
Now Seth and Dan would be saved if they were yet alive.
At that moment there was no hope in Jip's mind that they could still beliving.
It was as if he had lighted that match an hour ago, so slowly had theseconds passed, and with the thought of them as dead--burned to deaththrough his act--came wildest terror.
He fancied every fireman on Ninety-four had recognized him as they rodepast in such mad haste, and knew him to be the one who had committed thecrime.
There was no place in his mind for any thought save that of his owndanger, and instantly he started at full speed down the street, neverdaring to so much as glance behind him, although no man pursued.
When the "joker," which is the name given by firemen to thecombination-bell, in Ninety-four's house rang out the number of the callsent in by Jip, and as the horses, released by the mechanical trip movedby the joker, dashed out of their stalls, 'Lish Davis believed he knewbeyond a question to what particular building they were summoned.
Instantly that which Seth had told him came into his mind, and with itthe painful thought that perhaps by his own neglect he had contributedto what might be a fatal disaster.
"And I never so much as warned the policeman on this beat!" he said tohimself as he leaped to his seat on the engine, snapped into place thebelt that would hold him there, and with a quick jerk on the reinsreleased the harness-catch.
Ninety-Four had seldom left the house more quickly, and certainly thehorses were never urged to a higher rate of speed than now, when 'LishDavis charged himself with criminal neglect.
During the minute and a half which intervened before they reached thestation from which the alarm had been sent, the driver of Ninety-fourconceived an absolute affection for the boy who had so persistentlyfollowed up his idea of becoming a fireman, and, prompted by theprickings of his own conscience, perhaps, he mutte
red to himself:
"The kid shall go into the Department if I can put him there, providingit so be we find----"
He did not finish the sentence, for at that instant it was to 'LishDavis as if he must in a certain degree take upon himself the results ofthis night's work.
When they dashed past the station he needed not Jip's reply to tell himwhence came the glow of light which could now be seen reflected on thetaller buildings, and Ninety-four got water a full two minutes beforeany other engine.
"That little bootblack, Seth Bartlett, sleeps in the shed behind theshop," 'Lish called hoarsely as the men ran swiftly through thelumber-yard, and, hearing the words even above the tooting of whistles,the sounding of gongs from the on-coming engines, and the puffing ofsteam, Jerry Walters cried:
"I'll look out for him, 'Lish!"
Every man heard the driver's cry, and knew that the amateur fireman wasin danger.
They also knew where he slept, having been given by the boy himself adescription of his home, and with the first crash of Jerry's axe as heburst in the door of the shed, the men set up a shout which sounded likemusic in 'Lish's ears.
It was Jip Collins who had started the fire, and he also was the meansof saving the lives of Seth and Dan after the mischief had been wrought,for the firemen gained the box-like apartment not one moment too soon.
All unconscious of the danger which threatened, the boys had slept onuntil the noisome vapor overcame without awakening them, and when Jerrycarried the two out into the street through the piles of lumber whichwere already beginning to blaze, he said to Joe Black as the latteradvanced to help him take the apparently lifeless bodies to one of thepatrol-wagons drawn up near at hand:
"I'm afraid the amateur has got more of a dose than he can well stand."
Ten minutes later, when Seth woke to consciousness, Dan was lying by hisside in the bottom of the wagon, and 'Lish Davis bent over him.
"It must be that Jip Collins did what he threatened," he said, speakingwith difficulty because of the parched, burning sensation in his throat.
"Ay, lad, that's what he did, and this town won't be big enough to holdhim after daylight to-morrow morning."
"But why are you here, Mr. Davis? What about the team?"
"Ben Dunton is on hand, and I'm off duty for the time being till I canmake sure whether you're alive or not."
Seth knew that Ben Dunton was 'Lish's "relief," therefore the driver wasnot neglecting his duty by thus staying with him.
"Is it a bad fire?" he asked.
"The shop and about half the lumber-yard will go. It's nothing to speakof, lad, save for the fact of its having been kindled that murder mightbe done."
"I don't believe Jip Collins really meant to kill us. He most likelythought we would get out before it was very bad. Is Dan all right?"
"There's nothing much the matter with me," Master Roberts replied inwhat he intended should be a cheery tone. "I've been awake quite aspell, an' thought you'd never open your eyes."
"Sure you're all right?" 'Lish asked, shaking Seth gently as if doubtingwhether the boy was fully conscious.
"Of course I am, an' now we're inside the lines there's a good chancefor me to look 'round after points. I'm going into the yard to see whatNinety-four's men are doin'."
"I reckon you'll lay where you are for a spell," 'Lish said with a grimsmile, speaking half to himself, and in such a low tone that neither ofthe boys heard the words.
Seth attempted to rise; but had no more than gotten up on one elbow whena most violent nausea assailed him, and he fell back on the rubberblankets which had served as pillow, feeling much as helooked--desperately ill.
"Don't feel like wiggling 'round to any great extent, eh?" 'Lish asked,understanding full well the boy's sensations, and so relieved at knowinghis life had been saved that the temporary sickness seemed as nothing.
"I don't see what makes me feel so bad," and Seth did his best to speakin a careless tone.
"If it so be you ever get into the Department, lad, this ain't the firstdose you'll take, nor the heaviest. It's the smoke which came nigh tostrangling you, and there ain't a man that answers to Ninety-four'sroll-call who can't tell exactly how you feel."
"I've got to brace up pretty soon, or Dan an' me will have to walk'round the streets the balance of the night, now our housekeepin' isbroken up."
"Don't worry about that, lad. I reckon the captain will give you ashelter till daylight, and after that we'll see what can be done."
Then 'Lish, understanding that he could render no assistance, left thetwo boys to join his comrades, who were fighting the fire as gallantlyin the lumber-yard as they would have done at a palatial residence.
"So Jip Collins had sand enough to try an' burn us out, didn't he?" Dansaid interrogatively. "I'll run across that duffer one of these days,and when I get through with him he won't set anybody else's shed onfire!"
"The police will most likely get hold of him, 'cause Mr. Davis knows allabout what he threatened, an' even if Sam Barney didn't let out thewhole story, the driver will."
Having said this Seth relapsed into silence, for his bodily conditionwas such that it seemed a severe exertion to so much as speak.
The fire was subdued, but not extinguished, when the patrol-wagon wasdriven away with Ben Dunton on the front seat, and Dan asked in a toneof awe:
"Do you s'pose they're goin' to carry us up to the engine-house?"
"It seemed as though that was what Mr. Davis meant; but yet I'm afraidwe're bound for the hospital."
"Well, say, you don't catch me inside of one! I ain't goin' to flock inwith a lot of dyin' folks jest 'cause I've got a little smoke down mythroat," and Dan, who was not suffering as much as his partner,attempted to scramble to his feet, whereat Ben Dunton shouted gruffly:
"Lay still there, you two kids, or I'll come down and know the reasonwhy!"
"We ain't goin' to no hospital!" Dan cried angrily.
"Who asked you to? You don't allow we're running an ambulance for suchkids as you, eh?"
"Where are we goin'?"
"Lay still and you'll find out."
Seth had learned enough regarding a fireman's life to know that thefirst engine at the scene of a conflagration must be the last to leave,therefore wherever Ben Dunton might be taking them, there was littlechance of seeing 'Lish Davis until the following morning.
To the great delight of both the boys the patrol-wagon was drawn up infront of Ninety-four's house, and Dunton asked:
"Can you lads get out alone, or shall I lend a hand?"
"Are we goin' to stay here all night?" Dan asked suspiciously.
"Of course you are. It's the captain's orders, and you're to have 'LishDavis's bed."
This was sufficient to cause a decided change in Seth's condition.
The fact that he was to sleep in the engine-house as if he had been amember of the Department was so great an honor that for the time beinghis illness was banished.
The boys alighted from the vehicle without assistance and followed BenDunton into the building, where a report was made to the house-watchmanregarding the guests, who were then conducted to the floor above.
"There's where you're to sleep," the fireman said, pointing to thedriver's bed. "And you want to get in some precious big licks, for itain't often 'Lish Davis puts himself out in this fashion for anybody,especially when he's likely to be on duty six or eight hours. Noskylarking, now, but get between the sheets as quick as you know how."
No second bidding was necessary, and five minutes later the two boyswere enjoying a greater degree of comfort than they had ever fanciedwould be possible, Seth refusing to join in the conversation which hispartner would have started, in order to give himself wholly up tobuilding air-castles, all based on the Fire Department with himselfrising from the grade of recruit to that of battalion-chief.
Slumber closed their eyelids in due time, however, and they journeyed sofar into the recesses of Dreamland that neither heard the home-coming ofNinety-four, n
or the bustle consequent upon cleaning up and making readyfor duty once more.
It was seven o'clock in the morning when Seth awakened, and for thefirst time since having been told he was to sleep in 'Lish's bed, herealized how much inconvenience and possible discomfort he might havecaused the driver.
"Say, Dan, we did a mighty mean thing to sleep here, an' perhaps Mr.Davis had to set up all night. Hustle your clothes on as quick as youknow how, so's we can get down-stairs an' tell him we're ashamed of it."
Neither of the boys was feeling any the worse for the painful experienceof the previous night, and in a remarkably short space of time they wereready to descend, but not by the stairs.
For the first time in his life Seth enjoyed the pleasure of sliding downthe pole to the floor below, and this method of descending served tostrengthen certain portions of the air-castles he had built just beforefalling asleep.
The driver was found grooming one of the horses, and greeted the boysbefore either could speak, by saying cheerily:
"Well, how are you getting along after your dose of last night?"
"First-rate, sir. We're as well as ever; but feelin' mighty mean tothink we used your bed an' kept you up all night."
"You didn't do anything of the kind, lad. We got back about fouro'clock, and I found plenty of spare beds for the short nap I wanted. Ireckon you lost everything you owned, eh?"
"Yes, sir; but that wasn't very much. My box, brushes, and what we hadbrought home for breakfast."
"How will you get another outfit?"
"I guess I've got money enough for a second-hand box and brushes; but ifI haven't some of the fellers will lend me what's needed, an' I'm goin'now to pick up the things, so's to get back in time to do the shinin'here."
"There are brushes and blacking belonging to the house, and you can usethem this morning, which will give you a little extra towards buying anew outfit. Haven't been to breakfast yet, have you?"
"That don't count, even if we haven't, 'cause we can get somethinglater," and Seth, knowing where to find the tools of his trade, setabout his customary morning's work, while Dan lounged here and there,feeling that he was a very fortunate lad in thus being a guest ofNinety-four's men.
Half an hour later, in company with Dan, Seth, richer by thirty cents,set out in search of a second-hand box and brushes.
Save in the way of questioning him concerning the boy who was believedto have started the fire in the lumber-yard, none of the men treated thebootblack other than in their customary manner, and Seth departed withthe fear in his mind that they were glad to be rid of him.
No sooner had he gone, however, than 'Lish Davis addressed three or fourof his comrades who were near at hand, saying emphatically:
"Look here, that boy Seth is bent on getting into the Department, and Itell you when a lad sticks to one thing as he's stuck to that for thelast year, some one ought to lend him a hand."
"You ain't thinking of getting him taken on here, are you, 'Lish?"Walters asked with a laugh.
"I've got a plan in my head, and allow that the rest of you can help methrough with it. If all hands of us turn to we can get the boy a job atheadquarters, and he ain't the lad I've taken him to be if he don't puthimself in the way of being received as a recruit when he's grownstouter and a little older. Now, such a lift as that won't be much forus, and it may be the making of him."
"Do you allow it's a good idea, 'Lish Davis, to help a boy into theDepartment when he might learn a trade which wouldn't be that of riskinghis life two or three times every day?"
"Would you turn tinker, or tailor, or candlestick-maker, Jerry Walters,in order to avoid risking your life two or three times a day?"
"It's different with me, 'Lish. I've been here so long I couldn't giveit up."
"And it would be almost as hard for that lad to give up his idea. Itried to frighten it out of him when he first came around here; but hedidn't scare worth a cent, and I tell you again that he'll make acracking good man for some company one of these days."
"If there's anything I can do to help the thing along, you may count mein," Walters replied, and the other members of the company who heard theremark pledged themselves to the same thing.
"We'll let him hoe his own row till everything is ready, 'cause it maydo harm if he gets to thinking somebody is trying to give him a lift."
"What's to be done with the kid who started the fire?"
"I repeated to the captain all the "amateur" told me, so I reckon he'llbe attended to. Is Ben Dunton in the house?"
"Upstairs asleep."
"Then I'm going out for a bit. I want to see the battalion-chief."
"Going to strike for Seth while the iron's hot, eh?"
"That's what I'm thinking of, Jerry," and while Seth Bartlett was makingready to continue his business of blacking boots, 'Lish Davis began inhis behalf the efforts which he believed would result favorably, so faras the boy's ambition was concerned.