“I shall try to do so; but I see no real reason why Mr. Hicks should wish to injure me.”
“Mebbe he ain’t got no real reason. When old Joe gets down on a man, he don’t have to have a reason. All he wants is a good chance to do him, and he’ll do you, if you ain’t careful.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“Well, I heard him say last night that there was a young upstart here who wouldn’t remain here another week.”
“And you think he meant me?”
“I am sure of it.”
“And he means to do me bodily harm?”
“That’s the way he fixes them he don’t like.”
“All right, Mr. Hall. Thank you again. I shall watch out.”
As Larry Logan had said, old Joe was one who always looked his own engine over for breaks, never trusting the wipers to discover them.