He broke off, to turn his attention to Mr. Jarvis and Mr. Asher, between whom unpleasantness seemed to have arisen. Mr. Jarvis, holding a cat in his arms, was scowling at Mr. Asher, who had backed away and appeared apprehensive.
"What is the trouble?" asked John.
"Dis guy here wit' two left feet," said Bat querulously, "treads on de kit."
Mr. Renshaw, eying Bat and the silent Otto with disgust, intervened.
"Who are these persons?" he enquired.
"Poison yourself," rejoined Bat, justly incensed. "Who's de little squirt, Mr. Maude?"
John waved his hands.
"Gentlemen, gentlemen," he said, "why descend to mere personalities? I ought to have introduced you. This is Mr. Renshaw, our editor. These, Mr. Renshaw, are Bat Jarvis and Long Otto, our acting fighting editors, vice Kid Brady, absent on unavoidable business."
The name stung Mr. Renshaw to indignation, as Smith's had done.
"Brady!" he shrilled. "I insist that you give me a full explanation. I go away by my doctor's orders for a vacation, leaving Mr. Smith to conduct the paper on certain clearly defined lines. By mere chance, while on my vacation, I saw a copy of the paper. It had been ruined."