tell my
folks where I am."

Joe could contain himself no longer.

"Do you mean to put his word agin ours?" he cried fiercely.

"Why not?" the cashier asked, softly. "It looks to me very much as if
his having been brought here was an outrage."

"If you speak to me agin I'll spoil the whole of your face, you cur!
After arestin' a boy for meetin' with an accident in doin' what you
oughter done, an' gettin' out warrants for others what couldn't have had
a hand in the matter, it's easy to see why you want to believe this
little villain's story. When the truth is known you understand blessed
well that the town will be too hot to hold you."

"That will do," Mr. Wright cried, sternly. "I shall have no such
language used here. Leave this moment, Brace, and when you are more calm
we'll discuss the matter."

Joe looked in silence first at the cashier, and then at the
superintendent, after which he said to Fred and Skip:

"Come, lads, this is no place for us. We've saved the company's money,
an' now are likely to be treated as we were for standin' by 'em at the
time of the riot."

With this reminder he walked out of the building followed by both the
boys.

CHAPTER XXVIII

OPINIONS

The three who had entered the store in such high spirits left it in a
maze of bewilderment and anger.

That Gus could concoct so plausible a story was none the less
astonishing than that Mr. Wright should give it credence, so far as to
refrain from ordering the boy's immediate arrest.

Joe was so enraged that during the walk to Fred's home he did nothing
but inveigh in the strongest terms against the company, and more
especially these two of its servants who had insulted both himself and
Fred by refusing to believe their united statements.

"I'll pound that cashier 'till he can't say beans," he cried, shaking
his fist in impotent rage.

"What good will that do? People won't believe our story any quicker
because of it."

"I'll be satisfied, an' that's enough."

"Don't make such threats," Fred said, imploringly. "If he hears of them
it will only give him a chance to make trouble for you."

"I'll not only make 'em; but carry out every one. It won't take much
more talk to coax me into servin' Wright the same way."

Several of the miner's acquaintances hailed him as he passed; but his
heart was so full of anger that he paid not the slightest attention, and
Fred felt a sense of most profound relief when they were inside the