"Let Amateur manoeuvre as he likes, 'Lish. I don't wonder he wants to do what he can, an' so long as he doesn't black boots anywhere except here, I can't see that it'll work any harm."

"All right, Amateur," Mr. Davis said after a brief hesitation; "you shall do as Ben thinks is right, though there must be no more of that business outside of this house, 'cause you've just the same as begun to hatch into a fireman, and we can't afford to have it said we couldn't ante up enough to keep you going."

Seth was delighted at receiving such permission, for by thus being allowed to work for Ninety-four's men it was as if he occupied a definite place among them; whereas if this had been denied it would have seemed almost as if he had been cast out.

He blacked every pair of boots he could find, and at first refused to take pay for the labor; but 'Lish Davis prevented such gratuitous work by saying sternly:

"Take your pay like a man, Amateur, and look pleasant about it. There'll be no chance for you to handle the city's money until after being at headquarters a month, and in the meantime you've got to pay your bills.

I did count on lending you enough to pull through on; but perhaps this will be the best way. What about that firebug of yours? Has the imitation detective caught him yet?"

Seth told of Bill Dean's plan to prevent Sam from working mischief, and the story caused the men to laugh heartily.

"That boy Bill must have quite a head on his shoulders," 'Lish Davis said when his mirth had so far subsided that it was possible for him to speak. "You can tell the firebug that he'd better give this section of the city a wide berth for a spell, and if he walks a chalk-line it may be he won't be troubled about that crime of his. If he should get funny in that way again, however, we'll bring this case up in a jiffy, and he'll get a long taste of prison life."

"Then you will keep the officers from arrestin' him?" Seth asked eagerly.

"I didn't say that, Amateur. It may happen that he won't be troubled while he does what is right; but there's been no promises made."

When Seth had finally finished the work of blacking boots to his satisfaction, he put the box and brushes away upstairs, and approaching 'Lish Davis, said in a whisper:

"You've been awful good to me, an' I promise you shan't be sorry for it."

"I believe you, Amateur, I believe you, else I wouldn't have turned a hand in the business, even though you did do me a precious good turn the other night. You're now in a fair way to get into the Department; but from this out it all depends upon yourself. Keep moving as you've been doing since I first saw you, and it'll come out all right in the long run."

Then Seth left the building on his way down-town, and it is safe to say that in all the city of New York there was not another as happy as he, for it seemed just then as if the goal he had set himself was very near at hand.

CHAPTER VIII.

JIP COLLINS'S RETREAT.

So excited was Seth by this sudden and unexpected change in his fortunes that he could not bring himself to walk demurely down-town as he was in the custom of doing; but ran swiftly more than half the distance, repeating to himself over and over again:

"I'm really goin' into the Department after all!"

He was so highly elated when he met Dan that the latter instantly understood something of the utmost importance had transpired, and asked eagerly:

"What's flashed up on you, Seth? Got a big job?"

"Indeed I have! I'm goin' into the Department!"

"Wha--wha--what?"

"I'm goin' into the Department. Mr. Davis an' the rest of Ninety-four's men have got me a job up at headquarters where I'll have a chance to learn all the business, an' then when I'm big enough, if my record is all right, I'll slip in for a fireman as easy as winkin'."

"Look here, Seth, what kind of a stiff are you tryin' to give me?" Dan asked sharply.

"It's a straight tip, old man. Mr. Davis jest told me all about it, an'

says I mustn't black boots any more except for Ninety-four's men. He didn't even want me to do that; but I hung on till Mr. Dunton backed me up, an' he finally gave in. Say, do you know they've bought a uniform for me jest like they wear, only there's no bra.s.s b.u.t.tons on it."

"Oh, go 'way, Seth. You've slipped your trolley."

"No, it's all straight goods, Dan. What kept me up there so long this mornin' was talkin' 'bout it. I'm to go to-night and get the clothes.

The only thing that worries me is I can't pay for them myself."

"Anybody'd think to hear you talk that was hard luck. Look here, Seth, if what you've been givin' me is straight, you've struck a terrible snap, an' a feller who'd kick 'cause somebody gives him a suit of clothes, ought'er go bare-backed."

"It would look a good deal better, Dan, if I had the money to buy the things, rather than let them give 'em to me."

"I ain't so certain 'bout that. The biggest part of it is gettin' 'em, an' if they're willin' to put up I'd say let 'em buy anythin' they wanted. Look here, I can't quite get it through my head that things is the way you tell, 'cause it don't seem likely a boy could get in at headquarters."

Seth repeated to his partner all that 'Lish Davis had said, and when the story was concluded Master Roberts commented on it in this fashion:

"You'll be out er sight, Seth; that's all there is to it!" Then, realizing how his brother news-venders might be surprised, he added, "Come on quick, an' let's tell as many fellers as we can before we go to see Bill Dean ship Sam Barney to Philadelphy!"

Seth was by no means averse to making known his good fortune, and very shortly afterward the two were surrounded by a throng of incredulous news-venders and bootblacks, the majority of whom insisted that "they wouldn't be stuffed with any such yarns, 'cause of course a feller as small as Seth Bartlett couldn't get a job in the Department, even if it was only to sweep floors, wash windows, an' that sort of thing. Besides, if he was taken on at headquarters, n.o.body would give him a show of learnin' the drill."

Bill Dean called Dan aside, and after first persuading him to cross his throat with his fingers in order that he should be put on oath, as it were, asked regarding the truth of the statements made.

"It's jest as I said, an' he's goin' to have a reg'lar uniform, all but the b.u.t.tons, to-night."

"Did you hear any of Ninety-four's men say so?"

"I wasn't there, of course; but you know Seth Bartlett don't go 'round shootin' his mouth off the way some of the fellers do, an' you can hang up to everythin' he says; so I'm certain it's true."

"It must be," Bill replied in a tone of conviction, and then approaching Seth gravely he extended his hand, saying as the amateur fireman grasped it:

"I'm mighty glad you've struck it so rich, old man, an' that's a fact.

All of us know you've been runnin' to fires pretty reg'lar; but we never b'lieved you'd really get into the Department."

"I ain't there yet," Seth replied modestly; "but Mr. Davis says it'll be my own fault if I don't get in, so you can make up your mind I'll keep my eyes open mighty wide."

One by one Seth's business acquaintances followed Bill's example in the matter of giving credence to the wonderful story, until it was a generally accepted fact that no more than the truth had been told.

There were some doubters, however; but they were so few in number that it seemed as if there was no longer any question regarding the matter, and during the half-hour which followed Seth was kept busy answering the questions of the curious and, perhaps, envious ones.

The astounding news brought by Seth and Dan had caused Sam Barney's friends and acquaintances to forget for the time being that this promising detective was about to depart from New York; but Bill Dean, who had taken it upon himself to thus aid Jip Collins, soon bethought himself of the business in hand, and reminded the others of their duty by saying:

"Look here, fellers, we mustn't hang 'round here much longer, else there won't be a chance of gettin' Sam away to-day. He's got to go on the emigrant train, an' the railroad folks will look for him jest as I said, 'cause I made a good deal of talk 'bout his bein' a detective. You see I thought they'd be glad to have him go on their cars if we could make 'em b'lieve half as much as Sam tells 'bout himself."

Thus reminded of their duty the young merchants set out in a body for the Cortlandt Street Ferry, much to the annoyance of those pedestrians against whom they jostled and tumbled in their eagerness to make way through the crowded thoroughfare.

The amateur detective was found at the corner of West Street, where he had promised to await Bill Dean's coming, and one glance at the throng which had gathered to do him honor, as he believed, filled his heart with pride.

"They're beginnin' to find out that I'm no slouch of a detective after all, hey?" he said in a confidential whisper to Bill, and the latter replied in a matter-of-fact tone: