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268 "'Neglect of duty. Impertinence. Sabotage.' What the hell's sabotage, Steve?"

"Oh, creating a little incidental damage now and then. Monkeying with the machinery. Putting it out of commission. I don't mean stupidly smashing it, you know. Just getting it out of order occasionally, in a way that it'll take half a day to fix it up. You can do it all right. Keep it up. Spoil a piece of work once in a while. Be careless. Be damned careless. Of course they'll bring you up for it. They'll send you to the office. There's where you can get in a nice line of impertinence. You'll get your walking papers. The boys won't stand for it. They won't see you put upon. Not one of them. They'll strike in less than twelve hours. I know what I'm talking about."

Still Bricky pondered. It was apparent that he was not enthusiastic over the proposition. He did not refuse it, but he wanted to think it over. It must have been a full minute before he looked up and inquired:

"And where do you say I get off?"

"At the corner of Greenback Avenue and Easy Street."

Bricky filled his glass again, drained it and set it down.

"Steve," he asked, "what you got agin old man Malleson anyhow? I should naturally s'pose that if you had anything in for anybody you'd have it in for the young cub."

Lamar tossed his head impatiently.

"Oh," he replied, "he counts for nothing. He's simply a damned fool. It's the old man that I've got a grudge against."

"What's your grudge?"

"Well, for one thing, he sent John Bradley penniless to his grave. John was a friend of mine."

"So. But I don't see as you've got any great kick comin' there. John left a perty good-lookin' widder, didn't he?"