, and so on."

While the men discussed future chances, the children were singing, and
their sweet young voices moved both fathers curiously. Mr. Reed decided
that he would cultivate his neighbor, even if Charles had not made much
headway with Ben and Jim.

CHAPTER XVI

DAISY JASPER

What to do with Ben was the next question of importance. He was fond of
books, an omnivorous reader, in fact, a very fair scholar, and, with a
certain amount of push, could have graduated the year before. He really
was not longing for college.

There was only one line of horse-cars, and that conveyed the passengers
of the Harlem Railroad from the station on Broome Street to the
steam-cars up-town. Only a few trains beside the baggage and freight cars
were allowed through the city. Consequently a boy's ambition had not
been roused to the height of being a "car conductor" at that period. A
good number counted on "running wid de machine" when they reached the
proper age, but boys were not allowed to hang around the engine-houses.
Running with the machine was something in those days. There were no
steam-engines. Everything was drawn by a long rope, the men ranged on
either side. The force of the stream of water was also propelled by main
strength, and the "high throwing" was something to be proud of. There
was a good deal of rivalry among the companies to see who could get to a
fire the first. Sometimes, indeed, it led to quite serious affrays if
two parties met at a crossing. "Big Six" never gave up for any one.
"Forty-one" was another famous engine on the East side. Indeed they had
a rather menacing song they sometimes shouted out to their rivals, which
contained these two blood-curdling lines:

"From his heart the blood shall run
By the balls of Forty-one."

Later on the fights and disturbances became so bitter that the police
had to interfere, and as the city grew larger some new method of
expediting matters had to be considered. But the "fire laddies" were a
brave, generous set of men, who turned out any time of day or night and
dragged their heavy engines over the rough cobble-stones with a spirit
and enthusiasm hard to match. They received no pay, but were exempt from
jury duty, and after a number of years of service had certain privileges
granted them. Jim counted strongly on being a fireman. John had
sometimes gone to fires but was not a "regular."

But all differences were forgotten in the "great fire," as it