Jacob Farnum pointed up the spiral staircase, as Jack Benson leaped
to his feet, hardly hurt at all.

"You can't get out of here too quickly, Owen!" warned the owner.
"If you linger, I'll have you helped out of this boat! Grant Andrews,
you're foreman here from now on."

"First of all, see that that fellow gets out of here in double-quick
time."

"Come along, Dan!" called Owen, hoarsely to his nephew, as he started
up the stairway.

"Yes, run along, Danny," added Farnum, mockingly. "You're no better
than your uncle!"

After the pair had departed it took all hands at least five minutes
to cool down from their indignation. Then they resumed work, and
all went smoothly under the quiet, just, alert new foreman, Grant
Andrews.

That afternoon, as Jack crossed the yard, going on an errand from
Mr. Pollard to the office, he encountered Josh Owen and his nephew.
The pair had just collected their pay from the superintendent. They
were talking together, in low, ugly tones, when they caught sight
of the boy.

Though Benson saw them in season to avoid coming close to them, he
neither dodged the pair nor courted a meeting. He would have passed
without speaking, but Joshua Owen seized the boy by one arm.