The chief wrote out an order to the foreman of Number Four, directing him to “allow Mr. Richard Sumner to remain in the engine-house for forty-eight hours, or longer if he desires; give him all possible information and allow him to accompany the apparatus to fires.” It was such an order as only the representative of a first-rate newspaper could have obtained. When Dick arrived at the Number Four engine-house in Liberty Street, opposite the site of the old postoffice, next morning, he was politely received by the foreman of the company, and by the chief of the First Battalion. He saw on the ground floor of the building a beautiful fire engine, resplendent with polished brass, and by its side the tender, with its reel of hose. At the rear were three stalls with fine large horses in them; and near the centre was a smooth pole running up to the upper stories of the building through hatchways cut in the floors. “So you are going to be a fireman for a few days, are you?” the battalion chief asked as he read Dick’s order. “Well, you will find it exciting work if we happen to have a good fire. And you’ll have to step around pretty fast, to go out with the apparatus. Come upstairs with me and I will show you first where the men live.” Dick and the chief were crossing the floor of the big room toward the stairway when there came a terrible clatter. “Tap-tap-tap!” rang a big gong almost over their heads. “Tap-tap-tap!” rang a smaller gong in the rear by the horses. Instantly there was a rush of men and horses across the floor toward the engine and tender. “Look out! Dodge the horses!” the chief shouted; and at the same moment he seized Dick by the arm and dragged him to the foot of the stairs, out of the way. It was none too soon either; for the next second the three powerful horses dashed past like the wind and took their places, one on either side of the pole of the engine and the third between the shafts of the tender. The harness lay ready on their backs, and Dick noticed that men were already at their stations to snap the springs that attached the horses to the apparatus. But what a rush it was! In another second the driver was in his seat in the front of the engine, and the engineer and his assistant were on a platform at the rear. A driver and six firemen were on the tender, and each driver had the reins in his hands, ready for a dash. One man stood by the big folding doors in front, his hand on the latch, ready to throw them open. Every man was in uniform, and every man knew just where to go. Dick took it all in, though the whole thing took less than ten seconds. “Tap-tap!” said both bells again; and the drivers jumped down from their seats, the horses were unfastened and trotted back to their stalls; it was all over. “What does that mean?” Dick asked. “If there is a fire, why doesn’t the engine go?”