“I never boasted of my strength,” replied Jack, beginning to wonder why so much interest was being manifested over so slight a matter. His surprise was increased at that moment by discovering Fret Offut among the spectators, his big mouth reaching almost from ear to ear with an idiotic grin.
“Come to see the fun!” declared the latter, finding that he had been seen by Jack.
“I’ll take this one,” said Mires, stooping over the nearest wheel which was half buried in dust and dirt.
Then, without any apparent effort, the small sized workman raised the wheel to his shoulder and walked back from the direction whence they had come.
“Now see the big gawk lift his!” exclaimed Fret Offut, who had somehow been let into the secret. Still ignorant of the deception being played upon him, Jack North bent over to lift the remaining wheel.
Chapter III
A Long Trip Proposed
Having seen Mires carry off the other wheel with comparative ease, Jack naturally expected to lift the remaining one without trouble.
His amazement may be therefore understood when, at his first effort, he failed to move it an inch from the floor.
It lay there as solid as if bound down!