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168 with indignation. "You are a brute! the poor animals did the best they could. You have too much of a load on the truck."

"So that's the reason you knocked me down, hey?" stormed the fallen one, as he attempted to rise to his feet, something which was not an easy thing for him to do. "Who set you to giving me orders I would like to know."

"No one, but I am not going to see that team abused. If you misuse them again I'll have you arrested."

"I reckon Hank Bitters will do as he pleases!" howled the truckman, as he at last managed to stand upright. "You had no right to attack me, and I'm going to get square for it."

He ran up to Franklin, and made a savage lunge at the young electrician with his big fist. But Franklin was on his guard, and easily avoided the blow, and the truckman brought up against the edge of the platform with a crash.

By this time the word had been spread that a row was in progress, and fully a dozen of the employees of the factory gathered around the open doors, to see how the affair would terminate.

His failure to hit Franklin only enraged the half drunken driver more, and as soon as he could recover, he again rushed forward, and this time caught Franklin by the coat sleeve.

"Now I'll fix you!" he fumed. "I reckon I'll use