in Ninety-four's house."

"What are you countin' on doin' right now?" Seth asked in a friendly
tone.

"Find Joe Carter an' try to get the ten cents he owes me, so's I'll have
somethin' to buy the first lot of papers with."

"Joe's gone to Baltimore to live; went off last night," Dan said
promptly, and an expression of disappointment came over Jip's face.

"Is he the only feller who owes you anythin'?" Seth asked.

"Yes, an' I reckon he's the only one who would try to give me a lift
after what I've done. He was----"

"Where's them swell Brooklyn chums of yours?" Dan interrupted.

"They went dead back on me after I started the fire, an' Bill Dean says
they told Sam Barney all about it. If Sam would only let up on me I'd
show that I could be as square as any of the fellers."

"I don't reckon you'll ever do that," Dan cried angrily, and Seth added
soothingly:

"I'll see Sam to-day, an' do all I can to make him drop the case, 'cause
it don't seem to me he's got any right to take it up unless I say the
word. Now, I'm goin' to lend you fifteen cents, Jip, an' you needn't
worry 'bout payin' it back for quite a spell. There's plenty of places
to sell papers in where the fellers don't know you, an' after a while
you can come 'round City Hall again."

"You're goin' to lend me money after what I did?" Jip cried in
astonishment not unmixed with fear, for he failed to understand why the
boy he had tried to injure should be so generous. "I counted on your
thumpin' me, an' I'd stood still to let you do it----"

"If Seth Bartlett has gone crazy there's no reason why I shouldn't serve
you out, Jip Collins!" and Dan advanced threateningly. "_I_ ain't sich
a chump as to pay a feller for tryin' to burn me to death, an' I'm
goin' to knock your two eyes into one, 'stead of throwin' away good
money on a duffer like you!"

Jip made no effort to defend himself, and Dan had raised his hand to
strike the first blow when Seth stepped in front of him.

"Don't do anythin' like that, Dan! Jip is sorry, an' there's nothin'
more he can do or say."

"There's a good deal more I can do!" and by this time Master Roberts had
worked himself into a towering passion.

"Go away, Jip!" Seth cried, clasping Dan by the body in such a manner as
to pin the boy's arms to his side. "Clear out, an' after he gets over
his mad a little he'll come 'round all right."

"It would only be servin' me in decent shape if he should jest about
knock my head off,