the intruder.

This was more than Steve Croly had bargained for. It was very well to
come in and attempt to defy a boy, of whom he was envious, but quite
another thing to face the powerful fireman, whose bare, brown arms and
single gleaming eye lent him a most formidable aspect.

And so, without waiting to see how Larry went to work to set the great
engine in motion, Steve hurried down the steps and across the
boiler-room, not even looking back while he heard the fireman's heavy
boots clumping along the stone floor.

Joe did not attempt to follow the other outside. He turned back, with a
grimace which was intended for a smile, but which made his face look
uglier than ever; and a moment after the whistle sent forth its final
roar, which was the signal for every man and boy in the vast works to be
in his place and to begin work.

Then, with the same silent mirth distorting his features, the fireman
thrust his head into the engine-room and said:

"He tho't he'd go, lad; and A doon't think he'll coom back in a hurry."

Larry had started the great engine, and the silent, powerful strokes
told him that his father had left it in its accustomed perfect order.

The young engineer was still agitated from his encounter with Croly, and
he well knew that this was not likely to be the end of it; but he could
not help but smile in response to Joe Cuttle's evident enjoyment of the
affair.

"He didn't fancy having you put your grip onto him," said Larry, for the
big fireman relished a bit of flattery as well as any one.

"Hi, but didn't he shuffle oot, though, when he heard me after him! A
thought ee'd jump oot his shoes the way he went."

"He won't be likely to come here again, unless he is certain you are out
of the way."

"Mayhap he'll bother thee again, though, when A's gone home. Thou'lt do
well to keep an eye on him."

"I shall take care that he doesn't get in here again, and then I won't
have to be to the trouble to put him out."

Joe Cuttle indulged in another of his silent fits of laughter and then
returned to his furnaces, which he had to feed pretty constantly while
the great engine was using the steam.

The forenoon passed without further incident, and Larry was somewhat
relieved that he had not yet seen the superintendent.

He feared that the latter might ask some questions about his father's
absence which it would be embarrassing not to answer.

"Perhaps mother will tell me something about it when I get