“See here, who is master here, you or I?” 68 demanded Job Haskers, drawing himself up. “Boys, you are impudent! I will not stand it!”
“Yes, you will stand it,” cried Phil, throwing caution to the winds. “All we ask is a fair deal, and you have got to give it to us. We’ll make up those lessons, if you’ll give us a fair amount of time. I don’t intend to be put in a lower class for nothing.”
“And I’m not going to stand it either,” came from Ben.
“Ha! this to me?” snarled Job Haskers. “Take care, or I’ll have you dismissed from the Hall!”
“If you try it, it will be the worst day’s work you ever did, Mr. Haskers,” warned the shipowner’s son.
“What, you threaten me?”
“We are going to make you give us a fair chance, that is all. And if you’ll do that, we’ll give you a fair chance.”
“Why, why—you—you––” The irate instructor knew not for the moment how to proceed.
“Mr. Haskers, I think you had better listen to me,” pursued Phil.
“I have listened to all I care to hear.”