"Perhaps not, but I think we have the best of it," answered Jack.
"I don"t know about that. Mrs. Bangs is a very high-strung woman and thinks a good deal of Bob."
"I"d like to know what she meant about the iron works matter," went on Jack, with a troubled look on his face. "I hope Mr. Bangs hasn"t got the best of father in that deal."
"You had better ask your father when you get home."
"I will."
The two lads hurried back to the boat and placed the craft where it belonged. Then the berries were divided, and each started for his home little dreaming of the trouble that was in store for both of them.
CHAPTER VI
THE IRON WORKS AFFAIR
When Jack arrived at home he took the berries around to the kitchen and then hurried upstairs to the bathroom, to wash and fix up for supper.
He was in the midst of his ablutions when he heard his father come in and go to the library. An animated talk between his two parents followed.
"Something unusual is up," thought Jack, and went below as soon as he was fixed up.
He found his father sitting near the library table, his head resting on his hand. His face looked careworn. Mrs. Bartlett sat by an open window clasping her hands tightly. Their earnest talk came to a sudden end as Jack entered.
"Good-evening, father and mother," said the boy and then halted. "Maybe I was interrupting you," he added.
"Jack may as well know," said Mrs. Bartlett, looking meaningly at her husband.
"I suppose so," answered Mr. Bartlett, and gave a long sigh.
"Know what?" asked Jack.
"Your father has had trouble at the iron works," answered his mother.
"What kind of trouble?"
"It is the Bangs affair," answered Mr. Bartlett. "You know a little about that already. Well, Amos Bangs has forced me into a corner."
"What do you mean by that, father?"
"He has gained control of the company and is going to consolidate with the Springfield concern."
"Will that harm you much?"
"A great deal, I am afraid, Jack. In the past I have known all that was going on. Now I will have to rely on Amos Bangs--and I do not care to do that."
"Don"t you think he is honest?"
"Privately, I do not, although I should not care to say so in public.
He and his friends at Springfield are sharpers. They will squeeze what they can out of the new concern, and I am afraid I shall be left out in the cold."
"Well, I shouldn"t trust Mr. Bangs myself. He and his son are of a stripe, and I know only too well now what Bob is."
"Have you had trouble with Bob?" questioned Mrs. Bartlett, quickly.
"Yes," answered Jack, and gave the particulars. "How Bob will crow over me now!" he went on, ruefully.
"This will make Bangs harder on me than ever," remarked Mr. Bartlett.
"Oh, I trust not, father!" cried Jack. "I am sure you have trouble enough already!"
"The Bangses are a hard family to get along with," said Mrs. Bartlett.
"I have heard that from several who work for them."
"The men at the office are sorry to see Amos Bangs in control," said Mr. Bartlett. "They know he will drive them more than I have ever driven them, and he will never raise their wages."
"Are you going to leave the company"s office, father?"
"Yes. I am no longer an officer, only a stockholder."
"The company ought to give you a position."
"Bangs said I could be a timekeeper, at fifteen dollars per week."
"How mean! And what will his salary be?"
"I don"t know yet--probably a hundred and fifty per week--seven or eight thousand per year."
"And you"ve been getting sixty dollars per week, haven"t you?"
"Yes."
"Then I"d go elsewhere."
"That is what I shall do--if I can find any opening. What I am worried about mostly is the capital I have in the iron works, fifteen thousand dollars. I am afraid Bangs will, sooner or later, wipe me out, and do it in such a way that I cannot sue him to advantage."
"It"s an outrage!"
"The trouble is, I trusted him too much from the start. He has proved to be a snake in the gra.s.s."
"And Bob is exactly like him," said Jack.
The family talked the matter over all during the supper hour and for some time later. The prospect ahead was a dark one and Mrs. Bartlett sighed deeply.
"If you cannot get an opening elsewhere I do not know what we are to do," said she to her husband.