Ben obeyed the order. Mr. Saxton looked nettled, and Ben felt dreadfully conscious. The former put his hands in a pocket and drew out a roll of bills. These he promptly transferred to another pocket. He next fished out a dollar, glanced at it, then at Ben, went over to a desk, drew out a money draw and changed the large silver coin.
He pocketed three quarters and handed the other twenty-five cent piece to Ben.
“Oh, no,” dissented Ben, drawing back. “There is no need of that, Mr. Saxton.”
“I insist,” said Mr. Saxton grandly. “You’ve done quite a big thing, Hardy, and you deserve the reward.”
CHAPTER II
JUST IN TIME
“Thank you,” said Ben.
“Don’t mention it,” responded Jasper Saxton.
The manufacturer turned from Ben with a decided expression of relief on his face. He acted like a man who had got off cheaply.
It was in Ben’s mind to ask Mr. Saxton if he “was to keep all of the twenty-five cents,” but sarcasm was not Ben’s forte. He was too ingenious to cherish resentment against either friend or enemy. Ben simply pocketed the coin. He concealed a smile of comicality. The situation, displaying Jasper Saxton’s usual meanness, rather tickled him.