The Iron Boys in the Steel Mills Part 23

"I will do so, though I was not present at the beginning of the trouble.

Jarvis can better tell you more about that than I, and I do hope that what we say will not get our friend, Ignatz Brodsky, into trouble. He is a faithful friend and an honest, well-meaning boy."

"I will decide that when I hear the story. Jarvis, you may tell it."

"It was this way," began Bob. "I--we--had been suspecting that Ignatz was watching Kalinski and Foley ever since we were discharged from the mill. He took our dismissal very much at heart. He got hurt on the street, the other night, and said he had been kicked by a horse. I suspected that it was a two-legged horse that had kicked him. Last night, as I was walking along, I saw Ignatz. I followed him. Then, soon after, I saw Kalinski coming from the post-office. Both men stopped and then I began to understand what was in the wind. Well, sir, they sailed into each other without a word----"

"Who started the fight?" interrupted Mr. Keating.

"Both," answered Bob promptly.

"Go on."

"I didn't think it was my business to take a hand, though I wanted to.

The little fellow held his own pretty well for a time, but the boss was too big and strong for him. Then Kalinski knocked the boy down, and began to kick him."

"The ruffian!" exclaimed Mr. Keating.

"Yes, sir, that's what I thought; and not a man of the crowd that had gathered went to the boy's a.s.sistance. They seemed to think it was a barrel of fun. Well, sir, you know I couldn't stand for that."

"I should say not."

"I just sailed in, and we had it right and left all over the street. He had a sore nose and I played a tune on that for a little while. I had a sore head, where I got burned the other day in the mill, and Kalinski played rag-time on that. After awhile there wasn't any more music left in either of us, except in our ears. Mine were ringing like a church bell at Christmas time."

By this time both superintendents were laughing at the humorous recital of the Iron Boy. Even Steve Rush was smiling, despite his efforts to be serious.

"What next?" questioned Mr. Keating, brus.h.i.+ng his hand across his face to hide his laughter.

"I wound up with a tattoo on his face, and Kalinski went to the ground, and I didn't kick him either. It came pretty close to being a fight."

"I should say it was a real fight," remarked the superintendent dryly.

"Then Rush had no part in it at all?"

"He came in when we were having it hardest, and the crowd was getting ready to jump on me because they saw I was getting the best of the pit boss. Rush held the crowd back so I should have fair play; that's all."

"What was Brodsky doing all this time?"

"He was shouting 'liars!' most of the time. But when he saw that the crowd were going against me, he called 'police,' and the crowd ran away.

(Much obliged, Ignatz. I hadn't thought to thank you for helping me out before.) I had to do it. You would have done the same as I did, Mr.

Keating, because you're a man----"

"You're right, I should have, Jarvis!" exclaimed the superintendent, bringing the flat of his hand down on his desk with a resounding whack.

"At any rate, you can't fire me because I'm not working for you any longer."

"Oh, yes, you are. McNaughton, what do you think about these boys now?"

demanded the general superintendent, turning to his division superintendent.

"I don't think; I know. I have done these boys a very great injustice and I am willing and ready to make amends in any way that I can. I don't know how I could have been so deceived."

"Naturally, not knowing them, you took the word of your foremen. I am not inclined to blame you under the circ.u.mstances. But, boys, I am sorry this has happened. I apologize to you, for you have been very badly used. Do I understand that you have taken another place?"

"Yes, sir; that is, we can have the place if we wish it. There is no obligation on our part to go if we do not wish to."

"Why did you not come straight to me with your story at once?"

"It did not seem right to go over Mr. McNaughton's head. It seemed an unmanly thing to do."

Mr. Keating nodded at the other man, as much as though to say, "I told you so." What Keating said aloud was:

"Not many would have followed that course, McNaughton."

"No, sir," agreed the a.s.sistant superintendent.

"We shall have to take some action in the cases of Foley and Kalinski.

Each is equally to blame."

"Yes, sir."

"My inclination is to dismiss them summarily. Have they families?"

"Yes, sir; large families."

"Hm-m-m," reflected Mr. Keating. "That makes it rather difficult to do with them as I otherwise should. However, they must be punished. I'll tell you; they must both be reduced to the ranks. I do not want any such men in positions of responsibility in mills of which I am the head. It is not safe. Put them at whatever they can do."

"They will quit, sir."

"Let them! I hope they do. It relieves me of a disagreeable job that sooner or later it will be necessary to tackle. Brodsky, you are a good boy. I shall look into your case and see what can be done for you."

"Then do we go to work?" asked Jarvis.

"You are at work already. I will see to it that you are paid for the time you have been off. It was a rank injustice. But I am going to s.h.i.+ft you to another department. How would you like to try the blast furnaces?"

"We are ready to go wherever you put us," answered Rush.

"You proved that by taking the job in the pits. That will take them out of your department, McNaughton."

"Yes; I am sorry, too, for I rather hoped to be able to make up for my shortcoming in this matter."

"You were not to blame, sir," said Steve. "We are very grateful to you for your kind words to-day. Shall we begin in the furnaces to-morrow, Mr. Keating?"

"No, Monday will do. In the meantime I will have your time corrected, so that you will have lost no time by the mistake that threw you out.

McNaughton, you will attend to Foley and Kalinski at once?"

"Yes, sir."

The Iron Boys rose.

"Thank you, Mr. Keating. We are more grateful than we know how to express. We will show you that we are both appreciative, and I hope you won't have to be told that we are not doing our duty."