er, and it may
be we'll put a little more muscle into you 'twixt now and the next few
months."

Then, without having specified what it was he wished Seth to busy
himself with, the gray-haired man turned to leave the gymnasium, when he
suddenly stopped and asked sharply:

"Have you been to breakfast?"

"No, sir; I was told that I'd get my grub here."

"Then why didn't you 'tend to it when you first came in?"

"'Cause I met you, sir."

"I suppose you hadn't thought you might be needing something to eat?"

"It would have been no great matter, sir. I've got along until noon a
good many days without anythin', an' can do it again."

"There's no need of that here, my son. Remember to get your meals on
time, for regularity of habits,--although that will become a luxury if
you are ever made a fireman,--regularity of habits is quite as necessary
for the strength and building up of your body as any exercise you can
take here. So far as possible eat at the same hour each day; go to bed
early, get up early, and at all times see to it that your body is
properly cared for. When did you have a bath last?"

"It's been quite a spell since I went in swimmin', sir."

"Well, you can begin the day with that. Use plenty of cold water, and I
reckon the towels are coarse enough. Then get your breakfast, come up
here, and go to work."

"At anything special, sir?"

"Whatever you see that's needed to be done."

Then this employer, who had given him such good advice, walked quietly
away, and Seth was left to find the bathroom as best he might.

During this day Master Bartlett worked as industriously as ever; but
with better heart than while employed about the first task set him at
headquarters, for he had reason to believe there was at least one in the
building who would lend him a helping hand, and the future seemed much
brighter than it had twenty-four hours previous.

This new friend, who was spoken of as "Josh" by those who seemed to be
best acquainted with him, and by others as "Mr. Fernald," apparently
gave no heed to the boy, and Seth did whatever seemed to him most
necessary, although there were many times when he was tempted to stop in
order to watch the men at their exercises, until half-past five in the
afternoon, when the man whom he was beginning to look upon as a friend
said sharply:

"Get your supper, now, Seth Bartlett, and to-morrow morning see to it
that you have breakfast before coming up here."

Seth wanted