"I will tell you," said Randy, and sitting down he told his story, just as I have related it here. In the midst of the recital Mr. Thompson came in, and he listened also to what our hero had to say.
"I hope Mr. Bartlett gets what is coming to him," said Mr. Thompson. "And I hope Mr. Shalley brings that Peter Polk to terms also."
The next morning Randy received word to come to the iron works. He went and there witnessed a stormy meeting between Amos Bangs on one side and Mr. Bartlett and Mr. Robinson on the other. Randy was called in as a witness, and what he had to say made Amos Bangs gasp for breath and sink into a chair.
"You are going to expose me—to ruin me!" gasped Amos Bangs, at last, addressing the two men who had accused him.
"We shall expose you unless you give up the control here and do as we think is fair," said Philip Bartlett. "As for ruining you, I think you have about ruined yourself."
"But my wife, and my son——"
"Mrs. Bangs does not deserve my sympathy after what she has done. As for your son, he can go to work, as my son has done."
"Bob! What can he do?"
"Work may make a man of him. He will never amount to anything if you bring him up in idleness."
"It is hard!" groaned Amos Bangs. "I—I shall have to go to work myself!"