"You do know something," said Mr. Gifford, laughing, a few minutes later, when Jack said to him:
"She'll do now."
"She won't do very well," added Mr. Gifford, shaking his head. "That engine never was exactly the thing. It lacks power."
"It may be the pulley-belt's too loose," said Jack, after studying the mechanism for a moment.
"I'll send for a man to fix it, then."
"No, you needn't," said Jack. "I can tighten it so she'll run all the machinery you have. May I have an awl?"
"Of course," said Mr. Gifford. "Put it to rights. There's plenty of coffee waiting to be ground."
Jack went to work at the loose belt.
"He's a bright fellow," said Mr. Gifford to his head-clerk. "If we wanted another boy—but we don't."
"Too many now," was the short, decisive reply.