"Tell you what I'm going to do," suddenly exploded Eph. "I'm going to
Jake Farnum and ask him, straight, whether that snob of a duffer is going
to be put in here over us, with leave to kick us out when he chooses."

"Don't you do it," advised Hal, with a shake of his head.

"Why not?"

"Our employer is absorbed, and, troubled as much as he wants to be, now,"
rejoined Hastings. "When there's anything he wants us to know, and he
can find time, he'll tell us."

"Huh!" half assented Eph.

"Don't be forward about it," continued Hal. "Just play the waiting game
and rely upon Mr. Farnum being as fair and square as he has any chance
to be."

"Hum" again nodded Eph. "Well, anyway, with farm labor at a premium, I'm
not going to stay aboard to black the duffer's shoes."

"Fellows, listen!" commanded Jack Benson, suddenly looking up.

Then he told them both the thought and the scheme that had been in his
mind all that day. While the young captain was talking his two mates
were still--Hal, because it was his nature, and Eph Somers because he
was actually staggered into silence.

"That's what I've been thinking of," Jack wound up.