Can you?"
"I s'pose I've got to," replied Tom good-naturedly. "Guess I'll have
to stay in Mansburg for dinner. I can't get back to Shopton in time
now."
"I'll be sure to have them for you after dinner," promised Mr.
Merton. "Now, there's a matter I want to speak to you about, Tom.
Has your father any idea of giving the work he has been turning over
to me to some other firm?"
"Not that I know of. Why?" and the lad showed his wonder.
"Well, I'll tell you why. Some time ago there was a stranger in
here, asking about your father's work. I told Mr. Swift of it at the
time. The stranger said then that he and some others were thinking
of opening a machine shop, and he wanted to find out whether they
would be likely to get any jobs from your father. I told the man I
knew nothing about Mr. Swift's business, and he went away. I didn't
hear any more of it, though of course I didn't want to lose your
father's trade. Now a funny thing happened. Only this morning the
same man was back here, and he was making particular inquiries about
your father's private machine shops."
"He was?" exclaimed Tom excitedly.
"Yes. He wanted to know where they were located, how they were laid
out, and what sort of work he did in them.
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