ved her toward the door. "You talk to him, Bet."

"Good morning, sir," said Bet.

"I want to talk to the boss."

"_I'm_ the boss."

The man glared at her with an angry look. She saw that he did not
believe her and imagined that she was making fun of him.

"When I want to see the boss, that's who I want to see!" he muttered.

A third man appeared and the second turned on him. "Say, can't you
read? That sign says eleven o'clock! Now git out!"

"I'll not get out. Where's the boss?"

By this time the girls were frightened at the threatening attitude of
the men. Joy was almost hysterical with fear.

"I'm the only boss there is here," said the second visitor, doubling up
his fists as if prepared to fight.

Bet came toward the two men. "I don't want either of you men to work
for me. Will you please go away?"

A small crowd of men was collecting outside the door and Bet was
afraid. She went toward the back room, hoping to be able to enlist the
help of the one she had been talking to. Just as she did so, the door
was thrust open, and Bet, shoving the other girls in front of her,
exclaimed in a whisper, "What will we do?"

But as she turned at the door, she saw a tall figure, who grabbed the
ruffian by the collar and invited him outside.

"Oh it's Phil!" exclaimed Bet hysterically. "Now we're all right!"

After Phil had persuaded the men in the crowd to leave, he returned to
the room to find the first caller making ready to go. "I don't know
anything about bicycles. Anyway it's steady work I want. There's no
money in odd jobs."

"What under the sun is it all about?" demanded Phil anxiously as more
men began to collect.

"We put a sign in the window asking for a man to help on the repair
work!" said Bet.

"Then get it out as quick as you can. You'll have a line here soon."

"How are we going to get someone to help, then? Dad thought it would
be a good idea to hire men who are out of work."

"He probably expected you to call up the Chamber of Commerce and get a
man. They know everybody who needs work."

"Oh dear, what a lot of things one has to learn when they go into
business!" mused Kit. "I thought we were doing just right."

That afternoon the bicycle was being repaired by old Bill Colby, a fine
old man who lived with his invalid wife in a small shack on the back
street. He took such pride in his work that the bicycle looked like
new when he finished it. And the pay warmed his heart