Now, when Bob was real good and mad, he could be as stubborn as a mule, and he was in exactly that condition now, regardless of consequences. So, when King raised his fist as if to hit him, he stepped back, saying in a firm tone, "You hit me just once, and I won't do another bit of work on that thing if you kill me for it."
King dropped his fist, and the two looked each other in the eyes for a full minute without speaking. "You'll work tonight or you'll get no supper," he finally threatened.
"Get no supper, eh?" snapped Bob. "If I get no supper tonight, there'll be no cell made tomorrow, just remember that," and then, as King did not at once reply, he continued, "Now see here, no one yet, except my parents, ever made me do a thing I'd made up my mind not to do, and I've made it up good and hard, right now, and you can't make me back down. You've got me in your power, and I suppose you can put me out of the way if you want to, but that won't get you the cell, so what are you going to do about it?"
King realized that he was licked, and gave in, with as good grace as he could muster. "All right," he growled, "have your own way."
Bob was much relieved when he realized that he had won, for although he had put up a bold front, he had by no means felt as confident as his looks indicated. He spent the next forenoon getting the copper cylinder and the tank ready for the electrolysis, telling King that he had decided not to make the other cap till the cylinder was done, although he could easily have done the work in an hour. After dinner he dissolved the lead nitrate in water, poured the solution into the tank, and adjusted the cap.
"Have you a piece of platinum foil?" he asked King.
"What do you want that for?"
"Why, you see I make this cylinder the positive pole of the circuit and have to have the platinum for the negative."
"All right, I guess I can find a piece," he replied.
Bob hoped that he couldn't, and, as a matter of fact, he could have used a piece of copper just as well, but, he thought, "if he will only go out after some and leave me here, I might find a way to escape." But, to his disappointment, it was soon forthcoming, and putting it in place he was soon obliged to acknowledge that he was ready to turn on the current.