“That will do, Anderson,” said Mr. Lockyer, turning away. “This has gone far enough. Men, you can knock off for the rest of the day. By to-morrow I will have a new foreman for you. Come, gentlemen, we have about exhausted the possibilities of the submarine for this afternoon.”
CHAPTER IV.
ANDERSON DINES ON MUD.
As the others turned to follow, Sim held back, but Mr. Lockyer turned to him and beckoned for him to make one of the party. Leaving Anderson in the midst of the gang of workmen, they made their way to the office, where Mr. Lockyer, unlocking a safe, drew forth a roll of bills. Selecting one, he presented it to Sim, who gave a cry of surprise as his eyes fell on its denomination.
“A hundred dollars! Oh, Mr. Lockyer, I couldn’t think of it! Why, sir——”
“Now, see here,” laughed the inventor, “I’m getting off cheap. If you hadn’t shut off that gas, I might have lost many times the amount of that bill.”
The lad was not proof against this line of reasoning, and finally placed the bill in his pocket. Soon afterward Anderson presented himself at the wicket, and was paid off by Mr. Lockyer’s solitary clerk and bookkeeper. His sullen face was unusually ferocious as he glared in at the inventor and his young friends.
“I ain’t through with you yet, Lockyer,” he roared, apparently in an insane access of fury. “I’ll fix you. You’ll see. I hope you and your submarine go to rust and ruin on the floor of the Sound. I hope——”
“That will do, Anderson,” said the inventor quietly. “I wish to hear no more from you.”