Page:Bound to be an Electrician.djvu/187

Rh my horses the way I please, and you nor nobody else will interfere with me!"

Still retaining his hold, the truckman endeavored to strike Franklin with his disengaged hand. But the young electrician, who fully understood the sort of a man with whom he had to deal, was on his guard. He warded off the blow by putting up his free arm, and then pushed the fellow away from him with a force that once more sent Hank Bitters on his back.

In going down this time, the truckman's left hand struck upon the hot end of stamping iron. He gave a fearful yell of fright and pain.

"Ouch, my hand! My hand is burnt off! Oh, but I'll fix you for this!" And snatching up the handle of the iron with his other hand, he scrambled to his feet and made at Franklin, intending to use the branding instrument upon the young electrician's face.

Seeing the new danger which confronted him, Franklin thought it best to get out of harm's way. With a quick bound, he landed on the platform, and plunged almost into the arms of a very loudly dressed young man who had just arrived on the scene from the office at the opposite end of the building.

"Here, what does this mean?" demanded the loudly dressed young man, and by the way those around got out of his way, Franklin knew he must