"Course you will, Amateur, course you will; but it's bound to be hard work, and there don't seem to be much chance for play in your life the way we've mapped it out for you. All hands of us have been figgering how we'd kind-er let up on you, and it's been decided that you shall sleep here every Saturday night. What calls come in 'twixt the ending of the school business and midnight, you're to answer as if belonging reg'larly to the company."
Seth's eyes glistened with delight, and when he had gone to his room the driver said in a tone of satisfaction to his comrades:
"That kid is bound to make his mark in the Department some day, and we'll be patting ourselves on the head for having given him a show. Just think of a boy like him being tickled way up in G when you give him a chance to work at a fire! He was reg'larly born for the business."
When Seth arrived at Mrs. Hanson's he found his roommates awaiting his arrival.
"Didn't you find Sam?" he asked in surprise that they should have returned so soon.
"That's what we did; met him down by the post-office where there was a whole crowd of the fellers, an' by this time I reckon he don't think he's a terrible big man."
"What did he say 'bout givin' Joe Carter sich a yarn?"
"First off he tried to say it wasn't so; but when we flashed up the letter, it was all over, an' the chump couldn't so much as yip, 'cept to promise to pay the bill with the very first money he could scrape together."
"Then you didn't have any row?"
"Not a bit of it."