Page:Daskam--The imp and the angel.djvu/142

The Imp's Christmas Dinner and they want a lunch in the store an', an'—" here an enormous yawn choked him and his head fell forward sleepily.

"Do you know anything about this, Henderson?" asked Uncle George.

Mr. Henderson shifted his gaze and twisted in the chair he had dropped into. "I believe there was some petition or other as to a lunch served in the store during the holiday season and a longer intermission," he said in a low voice, "and Wickham tells me that the girls, especially, feel angry because Williams has given his clerks a Christmas dinner occasionally. But it is a privilege which I felt I could grant or not as I chose, and the expense would be very considerable, as the year has been fairly hard. Moreover, there has been a great deal of insubordination and I have had to discharge"

The Imp opened his eyes. "Henderson has discharged lots of 'em—lots!" he said cheerfully. "If they open their mouth he fires 'em!"

Mr. Henderson gasped. The Imp looked curiously at him.

"How do you fire 'em—like an air-pistol?" he inquired. He did not notice if Mr. Henderson 116