This seemed to indicate that Kenwardine did not know about Dick’s recent visit. He could have no reason for hiding his knowledge, and it looked as if Clare did not tell her father everything.
“You have succeeded in keeping your young friend out of our way,” Kenwardine resumed. “Still, as he hasn’t your love of work and sober character, there’s some risk of a reaction if you hold him in too hard. Jake’s at an age when it’s difficult to be satisfied with cement.”
Dick laughed. “I really did try to keep him, but was helped by luck. We have been unusually busy at the dam and although I don’t know that his love for cement is strong he doesn’t often leave a half-finished job.”
“If you work upon his feelings in that way, I expect you’ll beat me; but after all, I’m not scheming to entangle the lad. He’s a bright and amusing youngster, but there wouldn’t be much profit in exploiting him. However, you have had some accidents at the dam, haven’t you?”
Dick was immediately on his guard, but he answered carelessly: “We broke a crane-drum, which delayed us.”
“And didn’t a truck fall down the embankment and do some damage?”
“It did,” said Dick. “We had a big molded block, which cost a good deal to make, smashed to pieces, and some others split. I had something of an escape, too, because I was standing under the block.”
He was watching Kenwardine and thought his expression changed and his easy pose stiffened. His self-control was good, but Dick imagined he was keenly interested and surprised.
“Then you ran a risk of being killed?”
“Yes. Jake, however, saw the danger and warned me just before the block fell.”