Walter's refusal was something he had not anticipated; and he felt the weakness of his own attempt to meet it: he seemed powerless to do anything but utter angry words, which, as Walter said, made little headway.

"Oh, my, my!" he muttered, "OH, my, my!" Walter, usually sallow, had grown pale: he watched his father narrowly, and now took a sudden resolution.

"Look here," he said.

"When you say Lamb's is likely to fire me because you're goin' to quit, you talk like the people that have to be locked up.

I don't know where you get such things in your head; Lamb and Company won't know you're gone.