uncle of mine, over in Camden. He can't work very much, and that is why
I have to support myself. Are you alone?"

"Yes. I think my father is living but I can't locate him."

The next day and for several days following Joe pitched into work in
earnest. Many things were strange to him, but he determined to master
them as speedily as possible, and this pleased Arthur Drew.

"That boy is all right," he said to his cashier. "I am glad that Andrew
Mallison brought him to me."

"Jack Sagger was awfully angry at being discharged," said the cashier.

"It was his own fault. I cannot afford to have a boy around who is
impudent."

What the cashier said about the discharged lad was true. Jack Sagger was
"mad clear through," and he attributed his discharge solely to Joe.

"I'll fix dat pill," he said to one of his chums. "He ain't going to do
me out of my job an' not suffer fer it."

"What are you going to do, Jack?" asked the companion.

"I'll mash him, dat's wot I'll do," answered Jack Sagger.

He was a big, rawboned lad, several inches taller than Joe. His face
was freckled, and his lips discolored by cigarette smoking. He was a
thoroughly tough boy and it was a wonder that he had ever been allowed
to work in the hotel at all. He had a fairly good home, but only went
there to sleep and to get his meals.

"Joe, I hear that Jack Sagger is going to make it warm for you," said
Frank, one Monday afternoon.

"I suppose he is angry because I got his position, is that it?"

"Yes."

"What is he going to do?"

"I don't know exactly, but he'll hurt you if he can."

"If he attacks me I'll do what I can to take care of myself," answered
our hero.

That afternoon he was sent out by Mr. Drew on an errand that took him
to a neighborhood occupied largely by wholesale provision houses. As Joe
left the hotel Jack Sagger saw him.

"Dere's dat country jay now," said Sagger.

"Now's your time to git square on him, Jack," said Nick Sammel, his
crony.

"Right you are, Nick. Come on."

"Going to follow him?"

"Yes, till I git him where I want him."

"Going to mash him?"

"Sure. When I git through wid him his own mother won't know him," went
on Jack Sagger, boastfully.

"Maybe he'll git the cops after you, Jack."

"I'll watch out fer dat, Nick, an' you must watch out too," answered
Jack Sagger.

"Are you sure you kin best him? He looks putty strong."

"Huh! Can't I fight? Didn't I best Sam Nolan, and Jerry Dibble?"