CHAPTER X
IN A NEW JOB
That afternoon was the longest that Steve Rush ever remembered havingput in. Spooner saw at once that the lad had been in a fight, and thathe was well nigh spent. The contractor took the keenest possible delightin driving Steve, just because the lad was in no condition to work.
The Iron Boy, however, possessed too much grit to show the whitefeather. In spite of his swollen face and aching body, he summoned allhis courage and worked as he never had worked before.
With Bob Jarvis it was different. Bob worked half of the afternoon, whenthe shift boss under whom he was laboring, observing that the lad couldscarcely stand up, sent him home, and Jarvis promptly went to bed. Theshift boss reported the circumstance to the mine captain and the lattermade a written report to the general superintendent, Mr. Penton. Anotherreport showed that Steve Rush had also been in a fight.
When the superintendent had read these two reports, he at onceunderstood that Jarvis and Rush had had a battle. The rules againstfighting were very strict; therefore he sent for the mining captain, theone directly in charge of all the operations underground. The two menhad a long interview and when the captain finally left thesuperintendent was smiling broadly.
On the following Monday morning Steve was requested to call at theoffice of the general superintendent before reporting for work in themine.
"Bob, he's heard about our difficulty and he is going to fine or fireme," said Steve.
Bob's face took on a serious expression.
"Then I'm going to see the superintendent," he said in an emphatic tone.
"What for, Bob?"
"I am going to tell him that you are not to blame--that I forced youinto the fight. I'll take whatever punishment is coming to me, but Iwon't stand by and see you get the worst of it--not for a skip full ofred ore."
The boys were in their room at the boarding house, they having asked theboarding boss to bunk them in the same room after their fight in themine. This had been done willingly enough and to their mutualsatisfaction.
"I guess not," replied Steve firmly. "What do you take me for?"
"You know what I take you for. I have already told you."
"If I remember correctly, you called me Little Miss Rush up to a coupleof days ago," answered Steve, with a twinkle in his eyes.
"Forget it. I've changed your name. You're Mr. Big Rush now. Such awalloping as you gave me I never had before in my life. You're a regularlittle cyclone. And to think that I had picked you for an easy mark."
Bob smiled as broadly as his swollen face would permit.
"We have agreed to forget that. It was worth while, though, because itwas the beginning of our friendship," replied Rush thoughtfully. "Weshall never have another misunderstanding."
"I hope not."
"But we must be going. You will be late for work. I will see thesuperintendent; then I'll let you know, to-day noon, what he wanted ofme."
The lads hurried out.
"I wish you would let me go with you and tell him," urged Bob.
"No. Time enough when he sends for you."
As the lads moved along the workmen laughed and some of them jeered, forit was plain that the lads were on terms of intimate friendship. Thestory of their great battle had been circulated until most of the men inthe mine had heard of it.
Bob's face flushed angrily.
"Never mind, old man," said Steve in a soothing tone. "A lot of thosefellows who are laughing at us to-day will be shoveling dirt for you andme before many years have passed."
"I doubt it."
"I do not. There are great opportunities in this big corporation, and Iam going after them. I am after them now, and I propose to take youalong with me. You'll find the company will be glad to help us on ifthey find we are worth helping. Here we are at the superintendent'soffice. I shall have to leave you now."
The boys shook hands warmly, Bob turning reluctantly and going on hisway, while Steve ran up the steps and entered the executive building. Heasked for the superintendent and was told to go in at once. The clerksall smiled at Steve's disfigured face, but he pretended not to have seentheir scrutiny of him.
"Good morning, Rush," greeted Mr. Penton, with a quizzical look at hiscaller.
"Good morning, sir. You sent for me."
"Yes; sit down."
The superintendent was a large man, six feet tall, big, broad andpowerful, but good nature shone from his round, full face, and his eyesalways appeared to be sparkling with laughter. For all of that, Mr.Penton was a strict disciplinarian, as a number of those who had workedunder him had reason to know.
"Who was the young man with whom I saw you shaking hands in front?" wasthe superintendent's first question.
"Bob Jarvis, sir. He is my roommate."
"Oh, is that so?"
"Yes, sir."
"How long have you been rooming together?"
"Since Saturday."
"Indeed. This is somewhat surprising. But, Rush, what has happened toyou? You look as if you had been through an ore grinder."
Steve flushed, then straightened up, eyeing the superintendent steadily.
"I have been in a fight, sir. I had a little disagreement, but it is allright now."
"My lad, did you not know that it was against the rules of the companyto fight?"
"I did not at the time."
"With whom did you fight?"
"Must I answer that question, sir?"
"Yes."
"I fought with Bob Jarvis," replied the lad, after slight hesitation.
"Who started the fight?"
"I guess I was the one most to blame."
The superintendent already knew all about the matter. He well knew whohad started the fight and why, and he knew also of the warm friendshipthat had sprung up between the two boys since the battle; but Mr. Pentonwas a shrewd man--one who judged men with almost unerring instinct. Hewas drawing Steve out to verify his own impressions.
"And you two are rooming together now?"
"Yes, sir. We are friends now. There will be no more trouble between us.As a matter of fact, our little battle was an entirely friendly one."
The superintendent leaned back, laughing heartily. His plump sides shookwith merriment, while Steve sat calm and respectful, his eyes fixed onthe face of his employer.
"You are quite sure that you two will not fight again, are you?"questioned Mr. Penton, after regaining his equanimity.
"Oh, yes, sir."
"Who won the fight?"
"Neither of us, sir, though Bob gave me about all I wanted."
"And I understand that you gave him a little more than he wanted. Now,Rush, let me give you a piece of advice. Never indulge in fights, unlessin self-defence, in defence of the company's property or to saveanother person. We have a rough element in the mines. Naturally thatcannot be wholly avoided, especially among the foreigners, though manyof them are self-respecting citizens. It requires a strong man to copewith them and every executive must be equal to the task, but we cannottolerate any rows except for the reasons mentioned."
"I understand, sir. I think you can trust me."
"I am sure of that. I want to see you get ahead. You are both fine boys.You have the making of men worth while--in other words, you are 'liveones,' and this company is always in the market for just that kind ofmaterial."
"Thank you, sir."
Steve's face glowed happily.
"I am going to take you off the Spooner contract and give you anotherplace to work. I have taken a keen interest in you, and I want you tolearn all about the workings of the mine."
"That is what I am going to do, sir," answered Rush in a quiet but firmtone.
"I have decided to place you at the main chute on the same level whereyou have been working. Your duty will be to dump the cars as they comein. You will be right by the tally-boards and you will learn how wecount up there, besides many other things. It is an important point,the central point of each level. After you have become familiar w
ith theoperations at that point, perhaps I may be able to transfer you to someother."
"I thank you very much, sir. May I ask where Bob Jarvis is going towork? He said he was to be transferred to-day."
"Yes; I have put him on the Spooner contract to fill the place you had."
Steve smiled. He could well imagine what would happen if Spooner treatedBob as he had treated Steve. Bob was too hot tempered to endure thecontractor's insults without resenting them.
Mr. Penton seemed to understand what was in Steve's mind.
"It will be good for the boy," he nodded. "Every boy needs a certainamount of hard knocks. They make a man of him."
"Bob is quite a man already," replied Rush, with a faint smile.
Mr. Penton laughed good-naturedly.
"Yes, I understand. You will report at the chute at once. Tell the minecaptain to inform the time keepers of your change of place. That will beall."
Expressing his thanks to the superintendent, Steve left the office andmade his way to the mine, to take up his new work--work that was to bemuch less trying than that of the previous week.
After the lad's departure Mr. Penton spent a long time in studying abundle of reports of the work in the Cousin Jack Mine. His eyes soonlost their twinkle, and his forehead wrinkled with perplexity.
"This passes all understanding. This shortage in the output is somethingthat I cannot understand. If I do not find the leakage soon I shall bein trouble with the company," he muttered.
Then, putting on his coat and hat, he left the office and started forthe mines.