"Well?" he growled out.
"Could I see you for a moment," suggested Ralph, a trifle flustered at the rude reception.
"Take a good look. I'm here, ain't I?"
Some of the idle listeners chuckled at this, and Ralph felt a trifle embarrassed, and flushed up.
"Yes, sir, and so am I," he said quietly--"on business. I wish to apply for a position."
"Oh, you do?" retorted the big foreman, running his eye contemptuously over Ralph's neat dress. "Sort of floor-walker for visitors, or brushing up the engineers' plug hats?"
"I could do that, too," asserted Ralph, good-naturedly.
"Well, you won't do much of anything here," retorted the foreman, "for there's no job open, at present. If there was, we've had quite enough of kids."
Ralph wondered if this included Ike Slump. He had been surprised at not finding that individual on duty.
The foreman now unceremoniously turned his back on him. Ralph hesitated, then torched Forgan on the arm.