g when Skip beckoned for him to come to the other
side of the building, and a command from the chief of the regulators was
not to be disobeyed with impunity.

Fred was watching the movements of his enemies narrowly when Donovan
approached on his way to the water casks.

"Have the boys been tryin' to make you pay your footing?" the breaker
boss asked.

"Yes, sir, and it looks as if they didn't intend to let me stay very
long," Fred replied, as he held up the notification to quit.

"What are you going to do about it?" and the man looked curiously at the
boy.

"Stay where I am until they get the upper hand. I can't treat, for I
haven't the money, and I may be able to show that the regulators are not
the bosses here."

"I like your pluck, my lad, and can, perhaps, give you a lift. Skip
shall have a flea in his ear before the whistle sounds again; but, of
course, it's none of my business what happens after working hours."

"I don't expect any assistance, sir, and if they down me it can't be
helped."

"You've taken a pretty big contract; but between us both I reckon it can
be carried out."

Then Donovan continued on, and, looking up, Fred saw that all his
enemies had been watching the interview closely.

"They may conclude it isn't best to tackle me, if he is going to take a
hand," he thought, and at this moment Chunky returned.

"Now you have got yourself in a scrape!"

"How so?"

"Skip and all the fellers saw you talkin' to Donovan, an' they know you
showed him the message from the regulators."

"What of that?"

"They don't 'low anything of the kind, an' you've got to take a
thumpin', even if you do treat."

"So I'm to get a double dose, eh?"

"That's about the size of it. Skip says you'll be laid up for a week
when the s'ciety gets through with you."

"I'm much obliged for the promise; but don't believe quite all he says."

Chunky shook his head as if to intimate that the case was a desperate
one, and then the nooning had come to an end. The clouds of coal dust
which had but just settled rose again as the machinery was put in
motion, and all was activity once more.

Although Fred had spoken so bravely he felt seriously disturbed, and
during the remainder of the day his mind was fully occupied with
thoughts of how he might successfully resist his enemies.

When night came he had arrived at no satisfactory conclusion, and at the
signal to cease work Chunky ran swiftly away thus showing that while