“What’s the matter, Mr. Avery?” he repeated, as the flaming face of the superintendent was turned toward him.
“These young rascals have become impudent!” declared the superintendent. “I’ve told you before, Mr. Robert, that I consider your attitude toward these Speedwells as utterly wrong——”
“Come, come,” said the younger Darringford, good-naturedly enough, yet with a tone of voice that halted Avery in his headlong speech. “Let’s get at the trouble. Of course, Dan and Billy are my friends. I have told you that several times.”
“And they presume upon your notice of them,” declared the superintendent. “Your undignified treatment of them gives them a license which they abuse.”
“And how have they abused my kindness now?” queried Darringford, gravely.
“They have brought us an old, ramshackle car here to be patched up. You know Hardy’s department is working overtime. All outside work must take its chance. We cannot do this now.”
“And the boys are impatient, are they?” demanded Darringford, smiling, however, quite kindly upon Dan and Billy.
“When we brought our car here, the shop was not so busy,” said Dan, interrupting. “Mr. Avery knows that. He has had a car repaired here since ours has stood on the floor.”
“How is this, Avery?” asked Mr. Robert, sharply.
“The boy tells an untruth,” snapped the other. Then, thinking better of it, he added: “Or, at least, I know nothing about it. I only know that Burton Poole had a machine here to be fixed, and I ordered Hardy to get it out of the way.”