Before Fred could reply the captain of the regulators came up, and Chunky lost no time in moving away from this very important personage.
"Say," Skip began, as he stepped threateningly in front of Fred, "what's the meanin' of all this?"
"Do you mean the shutting down of the machinery?"
"Of course I do."
"Why should I know anything about it?"
"Don't try to play off innocent to me. You've been blowin' about what the regulators did, an' that's why all hands can suck their thumbs to-day."
"Don't you think that is a foolish idea?" Fred asked, with a feeble effort at a smile. "Do you fancy you, the regulators, or I, are so important that the whole force is laid off because of anything which may have happened between us?"
Skip was staggered by this reply, and after thinking the matter over for a moment, he said in a surly tone:
"All I've got to say is that things will be too hot for you in this town, if a word is told about what was done last night."
"You said pretty near the same before throwing me down the shaft."