"Get busy there, you lazy louts or I'll dock you for lost time!"
"You pushed me in!" shouted Bob. "You'd better not dock me. I'll have something to say about that."
"What is this disturbance about?" demanded Foley, coming up at that moment. "Watski, why aren't these men at work?"
"No good. Afraid of hot cinders."
"Does that look like being afraid?" interjected Steve, pointing to his companion's burned trousers. "I call that an outrage. However, we'll not trouble about it this——"
"You'd better not," growled Kalinski.
"This time," added Rush. "But I hope nothing of the sort will happen again. We are used to taking care of ourselves, and if we think we are being imposed upon we are likely to take matters into our own hands."
"Is that a threat—a threat directed at Kalinski?" questioned Foley, ironically.
"Oh, no. We do not make threats; that is, not until afterwards, perhaps," answered the lad significantly.
"Don't you think it would be a pretty good idea for you men to get to work?" demanded Foley. "You won't last long at this rate."