"I wish you would not judge me by the dishonest parties with whom you have had dealings in the past," he said, just a bit sharply. "I have not been in this business long, and I may be a fool, but I keep my word."
"If we stick together, we may pull out by a lucky streak. You know we are going to strike better towns next week. If the company goes up here, what will you do? You'll be stranded away out in this region, hundreds of miles from anywhere, and that'll not be a pleasant situation."
"If this company goes up, we'll reorganize and go ahead as we were before you took hold of it. You are not capable of managing anyhow, and so----"
"You are talking through your hat, Sargent!" broke in a sharp voice, as Roscoe Havener came up. "Merriwell has done as well as any living man could have done under the circumstances."
"What's the matter with you?" demanded the rebel, insolently. "You were the one who said before he took hold of the company that we'd quit him when his money was gone--throw him over."
"Never--never said that!" he gurgled. "Lawrence was the man who made that talk, and Lawrence----"
"You can't shift it onto Lawrence simply because he is not here. The very fact that he refused to go with Merriwell at all proves what you claim is not true. We've been up against hard luck long enough. Merriwell is a Jonah. I don't know how it happens that the whole gang seems ready now to let Merriwell do just as he likes and stick by him. They've changed wonderfully since the time they all said we'd use him while he had money and then drop him."
"They have found that Merriwell is a man. He uses us square, and we should do the same with him."
"Oh, I know--I know all about your reasons for sticking by him. Can't fool me! But I'm done!"
"You don't seem to have any reason about it."
"I'm not to be jollied along by a game of talk."
Sargent turned as if to walk away, but Havener caught hold of him and yanked him round.
"Wait!" he grated. "I've got something to say to you! I'm stage manager of this show. You know that."
"Go into that dressing room," commanded Havener, pointing, "and make up for your part."
"Then I'm blamed if I don't give you the thrashing you deserve!"
Havener was thoroughly aroused, as his scowling face and threatening manner showed. He was a large man, and Sargent was afraid of him.