“Anything else?”
“Well,” said Tommy, thoughtfully, “they ort ’o be a ’Merican flag top ’o d’ tank an’ d’ fort.”
“The company doesn’t furnish fireworks or prepared patriotism for its employees, Tommy, you know,” said the agent, looking seriously at the ambitious young official.
“Well, jist say, after th’ flag business, ’at your deescrishunt or something ’at ’ill show they don’t haf t’ fill that order,” said Tommy, nodding his head to indicate his perfect satisfaction with himself.
CHAPTER VI
THEY HOIST THE FLAG
When the Highland accommodation stopped for water, about a week after Tommy had received the supplies which he had requested, the express messenger kicked off a long bundle marked “Tent, West Silver Creek Bridge. (D. H.)”
When the train pulled out a couple of Mr. Collins’s men climbed up the water tank. After sighting and measuring for a while the men came down and asked: “Where’s your flag?”
“We aint go’ no flag,” said the pump boy.
“Well, we’ve been sent here to put up a flag. What’s in that bundle?”