Under pretense of throwing his cigarette outside, Jack turned and opened the door six inches or so.

The man who had followed him was going past, and he did not look toward the house.

He was busy reading a newspaper while he walked, but he was not the tall man with the shrewd blue eyes and the knowing little smile; which was some comfort to Jack.

He closed the door and turned again toward the two; and because he knew he must furnish some plausible reason for his presence, he said the first thing that came to his tongue--the thing that is always permissible and always plausible.
"Fellow told me I might get a job here.

How about it ?" Then he smiled good-naturedly and with a secret admiration for his perfect aplomb in rising to the emergency.
"You'll have to ask Supervisor Ross about that," said one.