Under His Thumb — page 127: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

118 UNDER HIS THUMB. and you said you didn’t want no street Arabs for ap- _ prentices, but he was willin’ to try me. So I guess you needn’t kick now I’m ready to do something else.’’ Mr. Blain’s usually calm temper was aroused. He pushed the boy roughly into a chair, saying’; ‘‘I shall have to take care of you, young man. You are too impudent by half. Vll have you taken to a police-station.’’ Before Steve could comprehend his purpose, the man strode from the room. Steve heard the door closed and locked behind his employer; and the click of the. lock awakened the lad to a realization of his situation. Why Mr. Blain was so angry with him he could notimagine. Hitherto this gentleman had paid but little attention to the boy upon any occasion. He — was usually pleasant to all his employees, but, as a rule, kept aloof from them during working hours: ‘I don’t know as I’ve done anything I didn’t have a right to do,’’ Steve muttered, as he heard - Mr. Blain’s retreating footsteps. He glanced around the large dim room, and per- ceived another door and several windows. — He tried the door, but that also was locked. Nor could he raise a window—he did not. understand the fastenings. While making investigations he heard the street-door open, and then the sound of voices. ‘I guess I won’t go to the station-house if I can help it!’? Steve exclaimed. He seized a chair and thrust it through one of the large windows, making a fearful sound of breaking glass. ‘‘l ain’t ’sponsible cause glass breaks when you try to bend it,’’ he declared, as he heard excited ex-_ comicbooks com