"So I gathered," said Tom dryly. "But who got behind you and scared you in that fashion?"
"O-o-oh, dear!"
"You said that before; but what"s up?"
"At first I was afraid I was going to die," Alf declared tremulously.
"Yes?"
"And now I"m afraid I won"t die!"
Alf sat up shivering convulsively.
"Now, Alf," Tom pursued, "tell me just what happened."
By degrees the young engineer extracted the information that he was after. Bit by bit Alf told the tale, interspersing his story with dismal groans.
"I always told you, Alf, that smoking would do you up if you ever tackled it," Reade said gravely.
"But I have smoked for a year," Alf protested.
"Oh, no," Tom contradicted him. "The use of cigarettes isn"t smoking. It"s just mere freshness on the part of a small boy.
But smoking---that"s a different matter, as you"ve found out.
Now, Alf, I hope you"ve learned a needed lesson, and that after this you"ll let tobacco alone. While you"re about it you might as well quit cigarettes, too. But I"m going to change your job.
Don"t go back to the cook. Instead, report to me in about an hour."
Then Tom strode forward. After he had left young Drew there was an ominous flash in the young engineer"s eyes. He strode into camp and went straight to the cook"s shack.
"Leon," Tom demanded, "what have you been doing to that poor little shrimp of a helper?"
The cook turned around, grinning.
"I"ve been teaching him something about smoking," the man admitted.
"So I"ve heard," said Tom. "That"s why I"ve dropped in here---to tell you what I think about it."
"If you"re going to get cranky," warned the cook, angrily, "you needn"t take the trouble."
"Punishing Alf isn"t your work, Leon," Tom went on quietly. "I"m one of the heads here, and the management of this camp has been left more or less in my hands. I gave you a weak, deluded, almost worthless little piece of humanity as a helper. I"ll admit that he isn"t much good, but yet he"s a boy aged fourteen, at any rate, and therefore there may be in that boy the makings of a man.
Your way of tackling the job is no good. It"s a fool way, and, besides, it"s a brutal, unmanly way."
"I guess you"d better stop, right where you are, Mister Reade!"
snapped Leon, an ugly scowl coming to his face. "I don"t have to take any such talk as that from you, even if you are the boss.
You may be the boss here, but I"m older and I"ve seen more of the world. So you may pa.s.s on your way, Mister Reade, and I"ll mind my own business while you mind yours."
"Good!" smiled Tom amiably. "That"s just the arrangement I"ve been trying to get you to pledge yourself to. Mind your own business, after this, just as you"ve promised. Don"t play the brute with small boys."
"You needn"t think you can boss me, Mister Reade," sneered Leon, a dangerous look again coming into his eyes. "I"ve told you that I won"t take that kind of talk from you."
"You"ll have to listen to it, just as long as you stay in camp,"
Reade answered. "I don"t want to be disagreeable with any man, and never am when I can avoid it. But there are certain things I won"t have done here. One of them is the bullying of small boys by big fellows like you. Do I make myself plain?"
"So plain," Leon answered, very quietly, as one hand traveled back to the b.u.t.t of the revolver hanging over his right hip, "that I give you just ten seconds, Mister Reade, to get away and do your talking in another part of the camp."
Tom saw the motion of the hand toward the weapon, though no change in his calm face or steady eyes denoted the fact.
"I believe I"ve just one thing more to say to you, Leon. I"ve told young Drew that he needn"t bother about coming back as your helper. He is to report to me, and I shall find him another job."
"Are you going to get away from here?" snarled the angry cook.
"Presently."
"I"ll give you only until I count ten," Leon snapped, his hand still resting on the b.u.t.t of his revolver.
"You"re not threatening me with your pistol, are you?" Tom inquired in a mild tone.
"You"ll find out, if you don"t vamoose right along. One---two---"
"Stop it," Tom commanded, without raising his voice. "You may think you could get your pistol out in time to use it. Try it, and you"ll learn how quickly I can jump on you and grab you.
Try to draw your weapon, or even to shift your position ever so little, and I"ll show you a trick that may possibly surprise you."
There was no trace of braggadocio in Tom Reade"s quiet voice, but Leon knew, instantly, that the young engineer could and would be as good as his word.
"Take your hand away from the b.u.t.t of your pistol," came Tom"s next command.
Something in the look of the young engineer"s eyes compelled the angry cook to obey.
"Now, unbuckle your belt and hand it to me, revolver and all."
"I"ll-----" Leon flared up, but Tom interrupted him.
"Exactly, my friend. You"ll be very wise if you do, and very sorry if you don"t!"
White with rage Leon unbuckled his belt. Then he handed it out, slowly. He was prepared to leap upon the young engineer like a panther, but Tom was watching alertly. He received the belt with his left hand, holding his right hand clenched ready for "business."
"Thank you," said Tom quietly. "Now, you may return to your work.
I"m ready to forget this, Leon, if you are."
Leon glared speechlessly at his conqueror. This cook had lived in some of the roughest of mining camps, and had the reputation of being dangerous when angry.
From outside came an appreciative chuckle. Then Jim Ferrers stepped into the shack.
"So you were hanging about, ready to back up the kid?" demanded the cook.
"I? Oh, no," chuckled Jim. "Leon, when you"ve known Mr. Reade as long and as well as I do you"ll understand that he doesn"t ask or need any backing. Mr. Reade wants only what"s right---but he"s going to have it if he has to move a township."
Tom departed, swinging the belt and revolver from his right hand.