Joe did not attempt to follow the other outside.  He turned back, with a grimace which was intended for a smile, but which made his face look uglier than ever; and a moment after the whistle sent forth its final roar, which was the signal for every man and boy in the vast works to be in his place and to begin work.

Then, with the same silent mirth distorting his features, the fireman thrust his head into the engine-room and said: 

“He tho’t he’d go, lad; and A doon’t think he’ll coom back in a hurry.”

Larry had started the great engine, and the silent, powerful strokes told him that his father had left it in its accustomed perfect order.

The young engineer was still agitated from his encounter with Croly, and he well knew that this was not likely to be the end of it; but he could not help but smile in response to Joe Cuttle’s evident enjoyment of the affair.

“He didn’t fancy having you put your grip onto him,” said Larry, for the big fireman relished a bit of flattery as well as any one.

“Hi, but didn’t he shuffle oot, though, when he heard me after him!  A thought ee’d jump oot his shoes the way he went.”

“He won’t be likely to come here again, unless he is certain you are out of the way.”

“Mayhap he’ll bother thee again, though, when A’s gone home.  Thou’lt do well to keep an eye on him.”

“I shall take care that he doesn’t get in here again, and then I won’t have to be to the trouble to put him out.”

Joe Cuttle indulged in another of his silent fits of laughter and then returned to his furnaces, which he had to feed pretty constantly while the great engine was using the steam.

The forenoon passed without further incident, and Larry was somewhat relieved that he had not yet seen the superintendent.

He feared that the latter might ask some questions about his father’s absence which it would be embarrassing not to answer.

“Perhaps mother will tell me something about it when I get home,” was his thought, as he hurried along the narrow street which led to his dwelling.

But again he was disappointed.  His dinner was ready when he came in, but Mrs. Kendall only sat at the table in silence and attended to his wants.

Larry felt as though he could not restrain the growing feeling of apprehension caused by his mother’s looks and strange reticence.  They were so unlike her usual cheerfulness when he came home from school or the shop, and he could see that she had grown yet paler than when he left her at the breakfast table in the morning.

He had only a few minutes before he must return to the shop.  Yet he lingered at the door, cap in hand.

“Mother, what is it?” he pleaded, as she glanced toward him.

“Don’t ask me now, Larry,” she answered.

Yet there was an irresolute quiver in her voice that told him that she longed to give him her confidence.