“Don’t you try to be funny with me, you young hound!” hissed Black, stepping so close that Tom gently pushed him back. “You young idiot! Do you think you can fire me—-and get away with it?”
“We won’t talk about it any more,” Tom answered. “Your time will be all your own until the paymaster arrives. After you’ve received your money you will leave camp.”
“Are any of the others going?”
“No.”
“Then you’re discharging me for personal reasons!” snarled ’Gene Black. “However, you can’t do it! I’ll wire the president of the road, at New York.”
“He won’t receive your wire,” Tom assured the irate one. “President Newnham is on his way here. Probably he’ll arrive here before the paymaster does. You may take your case to President Newnham in person if you wish.”
“That’s what I’ll do, then!” breathed ’Gene Black fiercely. “And I’ll take your place in charge here, cub! If I don’t, _you_ shall never finish the S.B. & L!”
CHAPTER XIV
BAD PETE MIXES IN SOME
Forty-Eight hours later Professor Coles arrived in camp with thirty healthy, joyous young students of engineering.
It didn’t take Tom half an hour to discover that he had some excellent material here. As for the professor himself, that gentleman was a civil engineer of the widest experience.