The Iron Boys in the Steel Mills Part 22

"Yes, superintendent him wait by the office."

"But why does he wish to see us?"

"I not tell. Him say I mustn't."

The Iron Boys laughed at this.

"I guess it is all right, Bob. Our friend has given himself away. I shouldn't be surprised, however, if Mr. Keating were sending for us to express his disappointment at our failure to make good. When did he return from his trip, Ignatz?"

"Last night."

"You seem pretty well posted," laughed Rush, bending a keen glance on the excited face of the boy. "Very well; we will go with you, although I rather dislike to do it. It seems as though we were begging to be taken back, whereas we know that such is not the case."

On the way to the office of the mining company Steve sought to draw out Brodsky as to the causes that had led up to Mr. Keating's sending for them, but Ignatz was as uncommunicative as a Chinaman. He appeared almost idiotic in his ignorance. This brought a smile to the face of Steve. He knew the Pole had had some hand in the affair, and Steve shrewdly suspected that the boy was directly responsible for the summons they had just received. However, he pressed his inquiry no further. They would soon know, for they were ascending the steps to the office building.

Rush entered the reception office, sent in his name and was bidden to enter. This he did, followed by Jarvis, and, bringing up the rear, was Ignatz Brodsky.

"How do you do, lads?" greeted the superintendent cordially. "Will you be seated?"

Mr. McNaughton, at the first glance, was somewhat taken aback. Here were two well-dressed, gentlemanly young men. The boys whom he had discharged had been clad in their rough working clothes, hair unkempt and faces streaked with the soot of the mills. There was honesty and manliness in both faces now, though the face of Bob Jarvis was considerably the worse for wear, between his late accident and his battle with Kalinski. The lads seated themselves as requested by the superintendent.

"Brodsky tells me that you wish to see us, sir," said Rush, after greeting the division superintendent.

"Yes, I do. What is this I hear about you boys having been discharged?"

"I think Mr. McNaughton can answer that question, sir," replied the Iron Boy, with the suspicion of a twinkle in his eyes, as he glanced at the division superintendent. The twinkle was not lost on Mr. Keating, and he nodded, while McNaughton flushed half angrily.

"Mr. McNaughton dismissed you?"

"Yes, sir."

"Why?"

"I presume he thought we ought to be discharged."

"You are evading the question."

"I have no such intention, sir. What is it you wish me to say?"

"Tell me the story as it is. It is quite evident that there has been a misunderstanding here. Mr. McNaughton has been misled by some one."

"I will tell all I know about it, and exactly as it occurred. We began our work, evidently having incurred the dislike of the foreman and the pit boss before we even started in the pits."

"Why should you have gained their displeasure?" interrupted Mr.

Keating.

"I can only surmise. The foreman was enraged when, as an inspector in the accident department, I made a report which brought criticism down upon him and led to his being reduced."

McNaughton nodded. Already he began to see a light.

"Now we are getting down to cause and effect," announced Mr. Keating, shooting a swift glance at his division superintendent. "Go on."

"The two men began making it uncomfortable for us at once. But I dislike to say these things. It sounds as though we are whining. We don't intend to do anything of the sort. We are willing to take our medicine and smile, no matter how bitter the dose."

"Go on!"

Steve proceeded to relate the differences they had had with Foley and Kalinski, but through it all he did not mention the names of the foreman and the pit boss. From this he went on to tell what he knew about the warning, the hurrying away of the two bosses and the eventual explosion of pit number eight.

Bob Jarvis was asked to give his version of the affair relating to the explosion only, which he did, pointedly and concisely. To a fair judge of human nature there was no doubt at all as to the truth of the story the boys were telling.

"Now, Jarvis, you say that you did not know you were doing a dangerous thing when you put the whole stream of water on the pit, do you?"

"Do I?" repeated the boy.

"Yes?"

"Do you think I would be foolish enough to blow myself up, just for the sake of feeling myself going up?" demanded the Iron Boy, with a belligerent tilt to his chin.

Mr. Keating leaned back, laughing heartily.

"Well, candidly, I don't, though I do not think even that consideration would stop you if there were any good reason for your blowing yourself up."

"I suppose you are not so far wrong at that," muttered Bob, coloring.

"There is another point that I should like to ask you about," said Mr.

Keating, turning to Steve.

"Yes, sir."

"How much truth is there in the statement that you two a.s.saulted Kalinski in the street last night, beating him so badly that he was unable to report for duty this morning? He is in the hands of a doctor, I understand."

Steve colored again, and Bob laughed bitterly.

"All lies!" exclaimed Brodsky.

The two superintendents turned sharply. They had not noticed his presence before.

"Brodsky, what are you doing in here?" demanded Mr. Keating.

Ignatz did not answer.

"If you speak again, until you are spoken to, I will call the officer and have him put you out."

Ignatz subsided, settling far down in his chair.

"It is both true and untrue."

"Explain."