An Amateur Fireman Part 46

"You will for a fact, if you get nervous over it. A clear head, forgetfulness of everything but the drill, and Ninety-four's kid will have an appointment, or the promise of one, before this time to-morrow night."

Then 'Lish Davis proposed to walk to headquarters with the boy in order to make certain he went directly to bed; the new uniform was wrapped carefully in paper, for it was not proposed that Seth should put it on until the following morning, and then every member of the company shook hands with "their kid," each giving him some bit of good advice.

During the walk the old driver cautioned Seth again and again not to speculate upon possible failure; but to believe he would surely succeed, and when the two parted, 'Lish Davis said feelingly:

"You're a good boy, Seth, and while every one of Ninety-four's crew is your friend, you're dearer to me than the whole boiling of them. I'm proud of what you have done, and will do to-morrow. G.o.d love you, my lad."

Then the driver turned away abruptly, as if there was some particular reason why he wished to hide his face, and as Seth wiped the moisture from his eyes lest perchance a tear should fall on the new uniform, he whispered to himself:

"G.o.d _must_ love me, even if I am sich a terrible duffer, else He'd never let me run up against Ninety-four's company."

During the forenoon of the next day Seth wandered around the gymnasium trying to act upon the advice given by his friends in the matter of "keeping cool," and then came the time to put on the new uniform, for he had been a.s.sured by Mr. Fernald that it was perfectly proper for him to wear the helmet and the bra.s.s b.u.t.tons, even though he was not a regular member of the corps.

When all was ready for the march to Riverside Drive something occurred which caused the boy considerable uneasiness, for, instead of setting out with the members of the corps, he, with six others were ordered to fall into line by themselves.

Fifty firemen, picked members of the Department, ranged themselves on either side, in advance and behind as an escort, and no less a person than Chief Bonner himself took a station at their head.

Why he was thus separated from the men with whom he had practised Seth could not imagine, and there came into his mind as the order to march was given, the thought that some serious mistake had been made--that he was in the wrong place, and, therefore, would utterly fail of acting his part properly.

His astonishment and uneasiness increased when the squad with their escort, having arrived at the Drive, were stationed in line facing the river, with their backs toward Seventy-Sixth Street, the Sixty-Ninth Regiment Band a short distance behind them.

Why these men, two of whom he had never seen before, should with himself be singled out and stationed apart from the others, was a mystery which Seth failed to unravel, speculate as he might.

He saw the Life-Saving Corps, in whose ranks he should have been, march up and take their station not far from the grand stand which was thronged with spectators.

Then, in line with the other engines, he saw Ninety-four with 'Lish Davis holding the reins, and he fancied the driver winked at him in a most mysterious manner as he pa.s.sed.

A moment later he heard a shrill cry:

"Hi! Get on to Seth! What's he standin' out there all by his lonesome for?"

He knew it was Dan who had made this remark; but could not see him without changing his position, therefore he remained motionless.

The band was playing, gayly-dressed people were watching curiously, and in many cases admiringly, the vast number of blue-coated men who represented the finest Department in the world, and of all those to be seen Seth was, perhaps, the only person troubled in mind.

Some order was given, the boy did not understand what, for he was watching the Life-Saving Corps in the hope that some of them, seeing he was out of position, would summon him to their ranks.

He saw that some one had arrived at the stand, and believed it to be the mayor.

The little squad and their escort saluted the gentleman by slowly raising their right hands to their helmets, and then as slowly lowering them.

Mechanically Seth copied the example of the men on either side of him, and thus, fortunately, had not neglected his duty.

The music of the band was hushed, the mayor began to speak, and as he went on Seth was plunged into even greater bewilderment than before.

"It is the very pleasantest task of my experience," said the mayor, "to acknowledge the great debt which New York owes to the Fire Department of the city. In our population of two million souls there is no one branch of the munic.i.p.al service which renders such valuable services as the Fire Department. We are gathered here to-day to do honor to a few of the firemen who have rendered themselves famous during the year. These men have s.n.a.t.c.hed persons from the jaws of death, but this is the duty of every fireman. The army and navy are called upon to destroy everything, but it is your duty to save everything."

"We are proud to-day to render you our homage for the magnificent manner in which you have discharged your duty all along the line, from the Chief down, in all perilous moments, and especially you who have been selected by the Department to receive these medals. This is the most pleasing duty I have ever performed."

The speech ended, Seth was more positive than before that he had made a mistake in position, and to his yet further bewilderment, after the mayor had handed to the Chief a medal, the latter pinned it to his coat--to the uniform which Ninety-four's company had presented, probably knowing at the time how it would be decorated.

While this was being done the mayor described in detail that which Seth had done when saving the baby's life, and as he concluded a great shout went up from the a.s.sembled mult.i.tude, high above which could be heard Dan's shrill notes.

Then another medal was given to the Chief, who pinned it to the coat of the man standing next to the boy in line, the mayor meanwhile explaining why it had thus been bestowed, and Seth began to understand how greatly he was honored.

When each of the seven had been decorated, and while the throng were cheering themselves hoa.r.s.e, the Chief said in a low tone to Seth:

"Mr. Fernald has the official notification of your appointment as subst.i.tute fireman, and you can get it on your return to headquarters.

You are a.s.signed to Company Ninety-four, and will report to their house for duty to-morrow morning."

Seth could not speak, and in fact the Chief moved away so quickly that there was no chance; but looking up toward where Ninety-four was stationed he saw every member of the company waving his helmet as if indulging in silent cheering.

Then he knew they were all in the secret--that it would be no news when he told them he was at last really their comrade.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PRESENTING THE MEDALS. _Page_ 322.]

As to what followed immediately after this, Seth had no very clear idea.

He was not even conscious of how he left the squad of men who had just been decorated for their bravery, and found himself in his proper station among the Life-Saving Corps.

He hardly heard the order for the drill to be commenced, but followed the movements of those nearest him until it was as if he forgot everything else, and was once more back at headquarters fitting himself for what had already been accomplished.

Over the building which had been loaned for this purpose Mr. Fernald's pupils swarmed, as if clambering up a smooth surface of brick was a task more simple than the ordinary methods of locomotion, and each portion of the drill was gone through with mathematical exactness.

Concerning it, 'Lish Davis said to his comrades as Ninety-four was hauled into her quarters that evening:

"It was a great sight, boys, and what made it greater was that not a man among them outdid our kid. Josh Fernald himself couldn't go through a drill better, and we've reason to be mighty proud of what that little chap has done."

After the Life-Saving Corps had concluded their portion of the exhibition, two battalions were paraded by the Chief himself, ten engines, two hook and ladder companies, the water-tower and the fire-boat, _New Yorker_, taking part therein.

The men first marched past the reviewing stand to the music of the band, after which, in response to an alarm sounded by the mayor, the engines and their crews returned along the Drive at full tilt, with fires lighted, whistles blowing, and bells ringing, as if running to a fire.

During the early part of the evening after the exhibition on Riverside Drive, a boy clad in the full uniform of a fireman, wearing on the left breast of his coat a handsome gold medal suspended by a knot of red ribbon, walked rapidly down the street toward the headquarters of Ninety-four engine, and a crowd of lads, who might have been bootblacks or newsboys, gathered on the sidewalk, cheered him loudly as he came in view, after which the senior member of the firm of Roberts & Dean shouted shrilly:

"Now let's give three more rousers for the subst.i.tute fireman of Ninety-four engine!"

And the cheers were given with such a hearty will that citizens more than a block away turned hastily to ask one of the other why the police allowed such a disturbance to be made at that hour.

THE END.