After making certain that all were giving him their attention, he rose slowly to his feet, looked round as if to collect his thoughts, and said in a loud tone, much as though repeating something he had committed to memory:
"Fellers, an' Ninety-four's men are in it, too: We spread ourselves on this 'ere blow-out 'cause Seth Bartlett has got into the Department owin' to havin' saved a kid, and now if all hands are 'way up full we'll have a little speech from Mr. 'Lish Davis, driver of Ninety-four engine, who's one of the three what gave up a big cold dollar for this lot of stuff."
Then Dan sat down with a complacent smile upon his face, as if believing he had said the right thing in the right place, and Mr. Davis actually appeared embarrassed.
He had come to the feast expecting to enjoy himself by listening to the sidewalk merchants, and found that it was himself who would provide a goodly portion of the entertainment.
Never doubting but that this had been all arranged beforehand, Seth gazed at the driver, wondering why he was so slow in making a response, while Jerry and Joe laughed heartily, for they knew that 'Lish had been taken wholly by surprise.
However, the driver of Ninety-four was not one who would be discomfited by such as Dan Roberts, and he began his speech, with considerable hesitation, but warming to his subject as he proceeded.
"I didn't allow that I was to be part of the show when I come here, and Dan Roberts has got one the best of me; but yet, I ain't quite downed. The man who couldn't say a good word now never ought to set in anywhere, because there's a deal more than something to eat, if you boys will only look at it in the right light. In the first place you've spread yourself because Ninety-four's kid has the same as got into the Department, and perhaps some of you think he's lucky. I tell you, kids, luck hadn't anything to do with it. Seth is being made a fireman because whatever he struck he stuck at, and never let a living chance go by him. When he first came up to Ninety-four's house we gave him the cold shoulder, but he kept plugging away till we grew to like his pluck; yet nobody held out a hand to him till he'd hung to his idea so long that we jest couldn't help ourselves. He worked in where he wanted to go, and so can every one of you. I ain't holding that all of us are born to be firemen, but whatever we count on being we've got to work for, and work hard. Do that, and you'll pull through in pretty nigh everything you tackle."
When 'Lish Davis sat down, blushing rosy red, Dan sprang up like a jumping-jack from a box, and proposed:
"Three cheers for the driver of Ninety-four!"
As may be imagined, these were given with a will, and then Master Roberts announced: