But as he saw him standing in the doorway,
then it occurred to him that, if his father was to be absent several
days, it might be better to put a stop to intrusion at once.
"Yes, I'm on duty," Larry answered, resuming his work.
Steve Croly coolly ascended the two or three steps to the floor of the
engine-room, and, picking up a piece of waste, began to rub the polished
cylinder-head which was nearest.
Larry saw that the rag which Croly was using was making streaks on the
polished surface.
"See what you're doing, Steve!" he cried, pointing at the oily smutch.
"Why don't you have some clean waste round here, then?" Croly retorted.
"When I used to run an engine, I had something to clean it with, instead
of using waste after it was soaked full of oil."
"You're not running this engine," said Larry, quietly.
His heart was heating fast; so he was silent a moment before he spoke
again, as he did not wish to speak in an angry tone.
"I think I could manage it about as well as any boy of your age," said
Croly. "It's mighty foolish to trust such an engine as this to a boy.
Pages:
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37