had not paid for them it won't hurt us any."

"It seems the trouble started through your employing me," resumed the
young man; "so it will be best for you to let me go."

"Never!" cried Mr. Merrick, firmly. "Do you suppose I'll allow that
rascal Skeelty to dictate to us for a single minute? Not by a jug full!
And the reason the men dislike you is because you pounded some of them
unmercifully when they annoyed my girls. Where did you learn to use your
fists so cleverly, Smith?"

"I don't know, sir."

"Well, you have earned our gratitude, and we're going to stand by you. I
don't mind a bit of a row, when I'm on the right side of an argument. Do
you?"

"Not at all, sir; but the young ladies--"

"They're pretty good fighters, too; so don't worry."

Thursday was silent a moment. Then he said:

"Fitzgerald and Doane tell me they're going to quit, Saturday."

"It is true," replied Patsy. "I'm sorry, for they seem good men and we
may have trouble replacing them."

"They are not needed here, Miss Doyle," said Smith. "There isn't a great
deal of electrotyping to do, or much job printing. More than half the