"Don't be in such a hurry," said Pete, and as he said it he reached out
his left hand and caught him by the shoulder. It was more by way of
gesture than otherwise, but Bannon had to step back a pace to keep his
feet. "I mean business," Pete went on, though laughing a little. "When we
begin to turn over the machinery you won't want to go away, so this is
your last chance to get any sleep. I can't make things jump like you can,
but I can keep 'em going tonight somehow."

"Hadn't you better wrap me up in cotton flannel and feed me warm milk with
a spoon? Let go of me and quit your fooling. You delay the game."

"I ain't fooling. I'm boss here at night, and I fire you till morning.
That goes if I have to carry you all the way to your boarding house and
tie you down to the bed." Pete meant it. As if, again, for illustration,
he picked Bannon up in his arms. The boss was ready for the move this
time, and he resisted with all his strength, but he would have had as much
chance against the hug of a grizzly bear; he was crumpled up. Pete started
off with him across the flat.

"All right," said Bannon. "I'll go."

At seven o'clock next morning Pete began expecting his return. At eight he
began inquiring of various foremen if they had seen anything of Charlie
Bannon. By nine he was avowedly worried lest something had gone wrong with
him, and a little after ten Max set out for the boarding house.

Encountering the landlady in the hall, he made the mistake of asking her
if she had seen anything of Mr. Bannon that morning. She had some
elementary notions of strategy, derived, doubtless, from experience, and
before beginning her reply, she blocked the narrow stairway with her broad
person. Then, beginning with a discussion of Mr. Bannon's excellent moral
character and his most imprudent habits, and illustrating by anecdotes of
various other boarders she had had at one time and another, she led up to
the statement that she had seen nothing of him since the night before, and
that she had twice knocked at his door without getting any reply.

Max, who had laughed a little at Pete's alarm, was now pretty well
frightened himself, but at that instant they heard the thud of bare feet
on the floor just above them. "That's him now," said the landlady,
thoughtlessly turning sideways, and Max bolted past her and up the stairs.

He knocked at the door and called out to know if he could come in. The
growl he heard in reply meant invitation as