“I thought you didn’t mean what you said,” added he, turning up his nose and pursing out his lips. “I want to give you a fair warning. The Wimpletons wouldn’t have you on the other side after you had turned traitor to them. I don’t blame them; and we won’t have you on this side after you have turned against us. If you mean to stay on this side of the lake, you must have nothing to do with that steamer.”
“Don’t you think our family has a right to live on this side of the lake?” I inquired.
“No matter whether you have or not. We won’t have you here,” replied Tommy sharply.
“I think we shall stay as long as we think it best to do so. I will return this watch to your father, and then I believe I shall not owe him anything.”
“Didn’t my father save all the property you had when Wimpleton foreclosed the mortgage?”
“He did; he was very kind to us then, and we shall always gratefully remember all that he did for us, though he was not called upon to pay out a single dollar on our account.”
“And for this you are doing your best to ruin the Lake Shore Railroad, which cost my father two hundred thousand dollars! Deny that, if you can!” stormed Tommy.
“I do deny it.”
“Are you not running that steamer on the other side?”
“I have that honor.”