"Why?" asked John, suspiciously.
"I may discharge you and take him back."
"In that case, I will tell Mr. Flint about pawning the watch."
Simon Rich looked at his nephew with anger, mingled with dismay. He began to see, now, that to a certain extent he had put himself in John's power.
"You treacherous young rascal, I have a great mind to wring your neck!" he said, wrathfully.
"Uncle Simon," observed John, significantly, "I guess you'd better not act hastily."
"What a fool I was to put myself in the power of that cub!" soliloquized the head salesman.
John saw the effect of his words and decided to follow them up.
"Don't you think you can raise my wages?" he asked.
"No, I don't. You will be lucky if you stay here till Mr. Flint comes back. After that, I can't protect you. He will probably be angry to see you back here. I shall have to tell him that I took you in temporarily. Now I will give you some advice. If you want to remain here permanently, turn over a new leaf, and work faithfully. In that case I can speak well of you, and Mr. Flint may be induced to retain you."