Page:Hugh Pendexter--The young timber-cruisers.djvu/52

 “It’s horrible,” groaned Stanley, shaking his head. “Everyone is so cruel. The assistant has been abusing me fearfully. I won’t stand it.”

“Nonsense, man,” brusquely returned Bub in a low voice. “He wants to bedevil you till he can git you mad. Keep smiling if you want to git even with him. As for me I ain’t under his command and I’ll touch him up a bit.”

Saying this he walked down by Gilvey, who watched him suspiciously. As he reached the door he turned and cried out, “Say, Paddy, how much did you pay for stealing that last pig?"

With a terrible oath Gilvey seized a butcher knife and hurled it at the grinning face. The door slammed to and the knife sank deep into the plank, quivering back and forth. But if Bub intended to lighten his friend’s spirits by this method he succeeded only in part. For once Gilvey had completed his arraignment of Bub he redoubled his persecutions of Stanley. He offered the youth no violence, but he sought in every way to provoke him into making an assault. When the water was brought in he declared it to be filled with dirt and with an oath told the weary lad to bring fresh. By this and other means he completely exhausted