“Oh, I may grow up to be a bridgeman some day,” Penny said lightly. “I notice you keep the gear house locked part of the time.”
“I have to do it or folks would tamper with the machinery.”
The old man snapped a padlock on the door.
“Now I’m goin’ to mosey down to my garden and do a little hoein’,” he announced. “You girls better run along.”
Thus dismissed, Louise started away, but Penny made no move to leave. She intended to ask a few questions.
“Thorny, are you any relation to the Kippenberg’s head gardener?” she inquired with startling abruptness.
“Am I any relation to that old walrus?” Thorny fairly shouted. “Am I any relation to him? Say, you tryin’ to insult me?”
“Not at all, but I saw the man this morning, and I fancied I noticed a resemblance. Perhaps you don’t know the one I mean.”
“Sure, I know him all right.” Thorny spat contemptuously. “New man. He acts as know-it-all and bossy as if he owned the whole place.”
“Then you don’t like him?”