CHAPTER III
COMING TO AN UNDERSTANDING
"Be careful, Mr. Snowden!" warned the Circus Boy, stepping outof harm's way. "I am not looking for trouble, but I shalldefend myself."
"I'll teach you to talk back to me. I'll--"
Just then the car manager stumbled over a chair and went downwith a crash, smashing the chair to splinters.
"Mr. Sparling will not tolerate anything of this sort, I amsure," added Phil.
By this time, the manager was once more on his feet. His ragewas past all control. With a roar of rage Snowden grabbed up arung of the broken chair and charged his slenderyoung antagonist.
A faint flush leaped into the face of Phil Forrest. His eyesnarrowed a little, but in no other way did he show that histemper was in the least ruffled.
The chair rung was brought down with a vicious sweep, but toSnowden's surprise the weapon failed to reach the head of thesmiling Circus Boy.
Then Phil got into action.
Like a flash he leaped forward, and the car manager found hiswrists clasped in a vise-like grip.
"Let go of me!" he roared, struggling with all his might to freehimself, failing in which he began to kick.
Phil gave the wrists a skillful twist, which brought another howlfrom Snowden, this time a howl of pain.
"I am not looking for trouble, sir. Will you listen to reason?"urged the lad.
"I'll--I'll--"
Snowden did not finish what he had started to say. Instead hemoaned with pain, writhing helplessly in the iron grip ofPhil Forrest.
"Do you give up? Have you had enough?"
"_No!_" gritted the car manager.
The Circus Boy tightened his grip ever so little.
"How about it?"
"Give him an extra twist for me," shouted Teddy.
"I give in! Let go quick! You'll break my wrists!"
"You promise to carry this thing no further if I release you?"
"I said I have had enough," cried Snowden angrily.
"That won't do. Will you agree to let me alone, if I releaseyou now?" persisted Phil.
"Yes, yes! I've had all I want. This joke has gone far enough."
"Joke?"
"Yes."
"You have a queer idea of jokes," smiled Phil, releasing his manand stepping back, but keeping a wary eye on the car manager,as the latter settled back into a chair, rubbing his wrists.They still pained him severely.
"I am sorry if I hurt you, Mr. Snowden. But I had to defendmyself in some way. I could have been much more violent, but Idid not wish to be unnecessarily so."
"You were rough enough. I've got no use for a fellow who can'ttake a joke without getting all riled up over it. Get outof here!"
"What are you doing at this end of the car?" snarled the managerto Henry, the English porter, who had been peering into theoffice, wide-eyed. He had been a witness to the disturbance,but at the manager's command he hastily withdrew to his own endof the car.
"Shall we shake hands and be friends now, Mr. Snowden?"asked Phil.
"Shake hands?"
"Yes, of course."
"No. I'll not shake hands with you. I want nothing further todo with you. Either you get off this car, or I do. We can'tboth live on it at the same time."
"So far as I am concerned, we can do so easily," answered theCircus Boy.
"I said either you or I would have to get off, and I mean exactlywhat I said."
The manager wheeled his chair about, facing his desk, and wrotethe following telegram:
Mr. James Sparling,
Saginaw, Michigan.
I demand that you call back the two boys who joined my car today.Either they close or I do. They're a couple of young ruffians.If they remain another day I'll not be responsible for what I doto them.
Snowden.
The car manager handed the message to Phil. "Read it,"he snapped.
Phil glanced through the message, smiling broadly as he returnedit to the manager.
"That certainly is plain and to the point."
"I'm glad you think so. Take that message to the telegraphoffice, and send it at once."
"Yes, sir."
Mr. Snowden had expected a refusal, but Phil rose obediently andleft the car. He took the message to a telegraph office, Teddyaccompanying him.
"Why didn't you finish him while you were about it, Phil?"demanded Teddy. "You had him just to rights."
"I did quite enough as it was, Teddy. I am very sorry for whatI did, but it had to come."
"It did. If you hadn't done it I should have had to," noddedTeddy rather pompously. "But I shouldn't have let him off aseasily as you did. I certainly would have given hima rough-and-tumble."
"It is a bad enough beginning as it is. Now, Teddy, I want youto behave yourself and not stir up any trouble--"
"Stir up trouble? Well, I like that. Who's been stirring uptrouble around here, I'd like to know. Answer me that!"
"I accept the rebuke," laughed Phil. "I am the guilty one thistime, and I'm heartily ashamed to admit it at that."
"What do you think Mr. Sparling will do?"
"I don't know. I can't help but think he had some purpose insending us on to join this car, other than that which he told us.However, time will tell. We are in for an unpleasant season, butwe must make the best of our opportunity and learn all we canabout this end of the business."
"I've learned enough this afternoon to last me for a wholeseason," answered Teddy grimly.
By the time they returned to the car the men had come in from thecountry routes, as had the lithographers who had been placingbills in store windows about the town.
"He's at it again," grinned Teddy, as the voice of the managerwas heard roaring at the men. Snowden was charging up and downthe car venting his wrath on the men, threatening, browbeating,expressing his opinion of all billposters in language morepicturesque than elegant. Not a man replied to his tirade.
"Evidently they are used to that sort of treatment," nodded Phil."Well it doesn't go with me at all. Come on; let's go in and seewhat it's all about."