CHAPTER SECOND
THE next morning when the firemen were up and dressed, the blind boy was still asleep. He looked even paler by daylight than he had the night before, and his thin cheeks and the dark circles under his eyes gave him a pathetic look.
“It would be a pity to send the blind kid off while he looks like that. Let’s put some flesh on his bones and some color into his cheeks first,” said soft-hearted Reordan.
“How do you propose to manage? Taking care of kids and running fire-engines don’t go very well together,” said the captain.
“The work sha’n’t suffer,” replied Reordan. “A chap of his age, and blind at that, that has looked after himself, won’t need much tending, and the little he’ll need to eat won’t lighten my pocket much.”
“Well, then, keep him for a day or so if you like, I’ve no objections,” replied the captain. “Here’s something toward his keep;” and he placed a bill in Reordan’s hand.
“We’ll all chip in,” said another. “Here, Jack, pass around the hat for the blind kid.”
The Fire-Dog took the hat in his mouth with great alacrity, and gravely went from one to another of the men, each one of whom put in some change.