“Watch,” says Mr. Tidd. He turned a cock one place and turned another at the opposite end. “There,” says he; “she’s reversed.”
“What!” Mr. Whiteley said, his face all twisted up with astonishment.
“Fact,” grins Mr. Tidd. “Fact, gen-u-ine fact. As sure as that Cæsar conquered Gaul.” “Have you got your patent?”
“Nope. Couldn’t get it till I proved she’d work. But I’m goin’ to git it quick now, you can bet, perty sudden.”
Mark sort of scrooged up to his father. “Father,” he says, “come here a minute. I want to show you and Mr. Whiteley somethin’.”
They looked at him surprised-like.
“Over here.” Mark points.
He walks to the toolroom and points. “Here it is,” he says, “a-crouchin’ in here. C-come out!” he tells the stranger.
The stranger, seeing there wasn’t anything else to do, did come out looking flustered and a little greasy where he’d squeezed up against things. “What’s this?” snaps Mr. Whiteley. “What are you doing here?”
The man didn’t say anything for a minute, and I noticed the engineer was looking pretty uncomfortable. Mark spoke right up, though.