The burly one gave Billy a brief and gruff negative to his query and
went on painting barrel labels. He was thinking of other matters, but
Billy still hung around. He had a hunch that he might be going to make
merchandise in some way of the knowledge that he had gained, so he hung
around, silently, observantly, leaning on old rusty-trusty.
The man looked up and frowned suspiciously: "I told you NO!" he snapped threateningly, "What you standin' there
for?"
Billy regarded him amusedly as from a superior height.
"Don't happen to know of any odd jobs I could get," he finally
condescended.
"Where would you expect a job around this dump?" sneered the man with
an eloquent wave toward the majestic mountain, "Busy little hive right
here now, ain't it?"
He subsided and Billy, slowly, thoughtfully, mounted his wheel and rode
around the station, with the air of one who enjoys the scenery. The
third time he rounded the curve by the freight agent the man looked up
with a speculative squint and eyed the boy. The fourth time he called
out, straightening up and laying down his brush.
"Say, Kid, do you know how to keep yer mouth shut?"
The boy regarded him with infinite contempt.
"Well, that depends!" he said at last. "If anybody'd make it worth my
while."
The man looked at him narrowly, the tone was at once so casual and yet
so full of possible meaning. The keenest searching revealed nothing in
the immobile face of the boy. A cunning grew in the eyes of the man.
"How would a five look to you?"
"Not enough," said the boy promptly, "I need twenty-five."
"Well, ten then."
"The boy rode off down the platform and circled the station again while
the man stood puzzled, half troubled, and watched him: "I'll make it fifteen. What you want, the earth with a gold fence
around it?"
"I said I needed twenty-five," said Billy doggedly, lowering his eyes
to cover the glitter of coming triumph.
The thick one stood squinting off at the distant mountain thoughtfully,
then he turned and eyed Billy again.
"How'm I gonta know you're efficient?" he challenged.
"Guess you'c'n take me er leave me," came back the boy quickly. "Course
if you've got plenty help--"
The man gave him a quick bitter glance. The kid was sharp. He knew
there was no one else. Besides, how much had he overheard? Had he been
around when the station telephone rang? Kids like that were deep. You
could always count on them to do a thing well if they undertook it.