Baron Bernstoff viewed all these details with interest and approval, for the care with which everything was attended to and the industry with which the men went about their duties appealed strongly to his German mind, while his English friend, although he watched everything just as attentively, did not seem nearly so much impressed with what he saw and was evidently very skeptical in regard to the efficiency of the American service. It was plain enough to Chief Trask, who was a keenly observant man, that in his secret heart the Honorable Rupert Doubter was not quite willing to trust the evidence of his own eyes and regarded all that he saw as things done simply for show and not for use. “That’s all very well,” he said at last, “and it seems to me that if you could tell exactly when a fire was going to break out your service would be perfect, but supposing the alarm comes in when some of the men are playing checkers and others are up stairs taking a nap, and a few more perhaps are up at the corner——” But here the chief interrupted him rather sharply. “My men don’t spend their time hanging round street corners, and they don’t take naps in the afternoon like a lot of old maids. They play checkers sometimes, but I can tell you that if that gong rings they stop just where they are and don’t wait to finish the game. As I told you before our motto is to be always ready and I’ve forgotten the Latin words for it, I am sorry to say. The alarm may come in in the middle of the night when they’re all in bed and asleep, and it may come in and find them all down stairs as you see them now, but the result is the same. By the time the driver gets into his seat the men are on the truck behind him, and off they go. If you will come upstairs with me I’ll take pleasure in showing you where we sleep and the way we have of getting out on time when we’re sent for.” Saying this, Chief Trask escorted his visitors up stairs to the dormitory, where he explained the method of turning out at night and sliding down the brass poles. To illustrate the last named feat, he called Bruce upstairs and had him go through the act of jumping against the pole and sliding down it to the floor below. The foreigners witnessed the act in silent amazement, and then the Englishman turned to Chief Trask and said, “Upon me soul, this is all very extraordinary, don’t you know, but I would like to ask why they don’t go down the staircase; it must be so much easier, and it is certainly not so wearing on their clothes.” “The staircase!” cried Chief Trask, in horror, “Why, that would take them fully five seconds longer than it does this way.” “But what does five seconds count in getting to a fire?” persisted Mr. Doubter. “I can tell you, sir,” replied the chief, “that we look upon five seconds as a considerable period of time in the matter of getting out to answer an alarm.”