“You needn’t cover me with your confounded dust,” said Herbert, testily.
“I didn’t see you coming in,” said Andy, good-naturedly, “or I would have stopped a minute. The fact is, I am rather late this morning, or my job would be over.”
“I’ll give you a lesson to teach you to be more careful next time,” said Herbert, who was getting more and more ill-natured, and, as is usual with young bullies, got more impudent on account of Andy’s good nature.
As he spoke, he drew back his foot and kicked at the pile of dust which Andy had carefully swept to the doorway, spreading it over a considerable portion of the floor.
Good-humored as he was, Andy’s eye grew stern, and his voice was quick and imperative, as he demanded:
“What did you do that for, Herbert Ross?”
“I told you already,” said Herbert. “I am a gentleman, and I don’t mean to let a servant cover me with dust.”
“I am the janitor of this academy,” said Andy, “and if that is being a servant, then I am one. But there is one thing I tell you, Herbert. I won’t allow any boy, gentleman or not, to interfere with my work.”
“How can you help yourself?” asked Herbert, with a sneer.
“Take this broom and sweep up the pile of dust you have scattered,” said the young janitor.