“Five,” snapped the breakfast food magnate.
“No, sir,” responded Harris, turning away.
“Good work! keep it up!” Lyddy heard Lucas whisper to the other youth. “I bet I kin tell jest what dad told him. Dad’s jest close-mouthed enough to make the professor fidgetty. He begins to believe it all now.”
“Shut up!” warned Harris.
The next moment the anxious professor was at him again.
“I want that desk, Colesworth. I’ll give you ten dollars for it–fifteen!”
“Say,” said Harris, in apparent disgust, “I’ll tell you the truth; I bought that desk–and these other things–to give back to old Mrs. Harrison. She seemed to set store by them.”
“Ha!”
“Now, the desk is hers. If she wants to sell it for twenty-five dollars—”
“You hush up! I’ll make my own bargain with her,” growled the professor.