Bob made no reply, but thought to himself, "If you can catch me before the thing is done and tested, you're a good deal smarter than I think you are." He fully realized that he was taking a desperate chance, for he knew that the cell, as he was going to make it, would not work, for he had tried one like it while he and Jack were experimenting. But he had made up his mind not to give the secret away, trusting that an opportunity to escape would present itself before he had finished. He had also resolved to work as slowly and to take as long a time about it as he dared.
King led the way down to the laboratory and showed him the things he had bought. It would be tiresome to relate Bob's work in detail, and we shall tell about only those parts that are necessary to the story.
He managed to use up that afternoon and the greater part of the next day making one cap, but about four o'clock he had to declare that part of the work done.
"Now, what's next?" asked King.
"We'll have to make another cap to go with this one."
"Are they both alike?"
"No, this one is positive and the other will have to be negative. We'll begin on that one in the morning."
"Not much we won't," almost shouted King. "We'll start it right now, and we ought to have it done by twelve o'clock tonight. I believe you're loafing on the work anyway."
"Believe what you please," said Bob, mad clear through, "but I'll tell you right now that I'm not going to work any more today, and what's more you can't make me either."
"Can't, eh, we'll see about that," snapped King, coming toward Bob with clenched fist.