"Denny knew where he slept last night, and must have told Sam, jest as some of the fellers say he threatened to do."
"Well," Seth said after a brief reflection, "if you can't help him, what's the use of standin' here?"
"We was waitin' for you. I thought, an' so did Dan, that perhaps the driver of Ninety-four might cook up some kind of a plan we could work through. Anyhow, it don't seem as though it would do much harm for you to talk with him."
"Of course it won't; but if it wasn't that Jip's likely to be sent to jail for a good many years I wouldn't bother him, 'cause it don't seem the square shake for me to keep runnin' there whenever things turn wrong."
"It would be pretty tough to let Jip be sent up for four or five years jest 'cause you didn't want to bother Ninety-four's crew."
"I know that, Bill, an' I'm goin' to talk to Mr. Davis now. I was only sayin' I wouldn't do it if things wasn't the way they are. I'll go ahead, an' you fellers meet me up to the room after I get through, 'cause it won't do for all hands to loaf 'round in front of the engine-house."
To this proposition those who were ready to sacrifice their own pleasure and interests in order to aid the penitent firebug made no demur, and Seth set out at full speed, leaving the others to follow at a more leisurely pace.
"Hello, Amateur! It seems to me you've knocked off work kind-er late to-night?" 'Lish Davis cried as the boy entered the engine-house.
"Mr. Fernald, the man who runs the gymnasium, told me I was to go away every night at six o'clock——"
"So Josh has taken you in hand as he promised, eh?"