CHAPTER XXIV
CONCLUSION
"What was it, Mr. Penton?" called Steve, as he saw the superintendentapproaching.
"I shall have to leave you," returned the superintendent. "Jarvis, ifRush does not need you, you may come with me."
"Is there any trouble, sir?" questioned Steve.
"Yes; there is trouble. Someone has dropped a charge of dynamite downthe cage shaft. They tell me the cage is wrecked. Of course that doesn'tamount to much, if there is no further damage, but there is no tellingwhere this business is going to end. I must get up to the surface, andat once."
"Then I am going with you," announced Steve with emphasis. "I amperfectly able. There is nothing the matter with me except inactivity. Iam anxious to be doing something. But, Mr. Penton, that charge ofdynamite surely was not dropped in from the surface, was it?"
"No; that would not be possible."
"That means that someone in the mine has dropped it from one of thelevels."
"Yes, yes."
"Then I would suggest telephoning to the top of the shaft to have theladder hole leading to the open watched, and no one to be allowed toleave the mine unless able to give a good account of himself."
"Your idea is an excellent one. I will give the order at once."
The superintendent did so; then the men started upward. At Rush'ssuggestion the party divided. The mine captain had been picked up in themeantime, and the four men divided themselves into two parties, eachparty taking a level through which it moved, visiting every place wheremen were at work, questioning each sharply as to whether any of theirshift had left their work during the last hour.
The search was fruitless. There were not many men working on the nightshift, and beyond considerable ladder climbing, the two parties hadfinished their search within a few hours.
The four men met on the surface shortly after midnight.
The Iron Boys had nothing to report; neither had Mr. Penton nor the minecaptain met with any better results. The mystery was still unexplained.
"Rush, you usually have ideas on most subjects. What do you think aboutthis affair?"
"I hardly know what to think. I have an idea, however, as to where thecharge was dropped from."
"From where was it dropped?" demanded the superintendent sharply.
"From the first sub-level below the surface. You see, it would be veryeasy for anyone to go down that ladder there at night, withoutattracting attention. He could have dropped the charge down through theshaft and been out and away long before you telephoned up here."
"That is very true. It may explain that part of the affair."
"We found a fuse on the first sub-level near the shaft, but of coursethat doesn't prove anything. It may have been dropped there by any oneof fifty different men."
The superintendent's face was stern as he pondered over the matter thatwas disturbing them all.
"Rush, I want you boys to devote your time, during the next few days, toworking on this case. I know of no one else better qualified to do it.If you can't get to the bottom of the mystery, I know of no one who can.In the meantime I shall be pursuing some investigations of my own."
"Very well, sir; do you wish us to drop our work?"
"As a matter of fact, yes; but you need not appear to have done so.Pretend to make your rounds, but devote your time to running down thismystery. The officials will be back here within the next few days. Iwant this affair cleared up before they get here, so work fast. You havemy authority to go to any length necessary to solve the mystery and todiscover the guilty ones. Now, show me what you can do."
"It is a pretty big contract you have given us, sir, but we will do thebest we can. We have personal reasons for wanting to succeed, as you canunderstand."
"We have," affirmed Bob Jarvis grimly.
The boys bade the superintendent good night and went to their boardingplace. The following morning found Rush suffering from a severe cold. Hecould barely speak, but he went to the mine, nevertheless. The cage wasnot yet ready for use, but the superintendent had had the ore skipsrigged to carry men down, which was done at greatly reduced speed, butat the usual time the mine was in full operation.
All that day the two boys tramped about the mine, part of the time incompany and at other times pursuing their investigations separately.They talked with the men, working in various subtle ways to obtain hintsthat might start them in the right direction.
Night came, but when they compared notes they found that they had madeno progress.
"I would go back to-night," said Steve thoughtfully, "but to do so wouldattract attention. They know we do not work at night and someone mightbecome suspicious."
The next day was a repetition of the previous one so far as results wereconcerned. Not a clue did either boy find. This went on for three days,during which time they had not seen Mr. Penton. He was giving his twotrack inspectors a clear field, unhampered by any directions from him,and this put them on their mettle, perhaps more keenly than wouldotherwise have been the case.
"To-morrow will be Saturday. Don't you think it would be a good time forus to camp on the trail steadily?" asked Jarvis on Friday night as theywere going home.
"I have been thinking of that. I'll tell you what I want you to doto-morrow. Go to the pay clerk and time checker and find out who is leftin the mine after all hands who are going to do so have checked in anddrawn their wages. When you get the list bring it below to me. I willmeet you somewhere near the chutes on seventeen. I want only the namesof those who belong on the shift working Saturday afternoon. There willnot be many of them."
Jarvis carried out his instructions and brought the list to Rush on thefollowing day. The two boys scanned the list keenly, after which theymade tours of the working drifts, finding all the men at their stationsand no one in the mine who did not belong there.
"I'm coming back to-night," decided Steve with emphasis. "I am satisfiedthat the people we are looking for are not on the day shift. We willcome down about eight o'clock, by way of the ladders, and prowl quietlyabout. We will use our candles only when we get in drifts where there isno one at work."
"We won't catch anyone. They're too sharp for us."
"Perhaps not to-night, but we'll get them if it takes a year to do it.I'll never give up till I have won this game of hide and seek. When yougo after a thing, Bob, make up your mind you're going to get it. You'llland somewhere near the mark if you follow that policy."
"I've got the dynamite report here for you."
Steve examined the report carefully. He had done a very shrewd thing. Hehad held the keeper of the dynamite stores responsible for a completelist of all the sticks of dynamite given out to the miners each day, andthen had visited the drifts to find out how many charges had been firedand how many sticks had been used. As dynamite is never issued, exceptfor immediate use, there could be none left over after the day's workwas done. By the time the holes are drilled a messenger is on hand withjust enough sticks of the deadly stuff to fill the holes.
After checking up, the young inspectors found that twelve sticks of theexplosive were unaccounted for. They had been drawn from the stores, butnot used.
"We are beginning to get somewhere, old chap," Steve said, nodding tohis companion.
"That means that someone--some unauthorized person--has drawn somedynamite from the stores, does it not?" questioned Jarvis.
"That is the way I figure it out. It may mean nothing, so far as ourcase is concerned, and it may mean much."
The boys remained in the mine as usual until the shift went up at sixo'clock. At the appointed hour, eight o'clock, they made their way backto the shaft, but instead of going down on the cage they slipped intothe ladder hole and began their descent in this way. It was decided thatBob should begin at the upper levels and work down, while Steve was tomake his way to the bottom of the shaft and work up. When they met theywould compare notes. Each had a list of every man who had business inthe mine that night, so that they could find out, by asking
a man'sname, whether or not he had a right to be there.
Steve had gone directly to the bottom and covered every level up to thatwhere the pump station was located, about half way up the shaft. Hestarted along this level, keeping out of sight as much as possible,which had been the policy of each lad, as agreed upon beforehand.
Steve had not proceeded far when he discovered that someone was walkingalong the level ahead of him. At first he thought it was Jarvis, as theman's hat held no light, and Bob should be somewhere about at that time.
Steve quickened his steps, intending to overhaul the man and speak tohim. All at once the fellow turned abruptly off from the main level,entering a drift that ran to the south, but as he passed under theelectric light at the turn Steve Rush made a discovery.
The man was heavily bearded and Steve recognized him instantly.
"It's the man Klink," he muttered. "What is he doing in that drift atthis time of night?"
Consulting his list, the boy saw that Klink did not belong to the nightshift of that particular night. He moved up, intending to follow Klinkinto the drift, when the man suddenly emerged. Steve flattened himselfon the ground and waited, while the other glanced cautiously up anddown the level. Satisfying himself that no one was about, Klink turnedand walked on.
The watcher lost no time in following, but Rush kept at a safe distance,dodging when he had to pass an electric light, now and then throwinghimself beside the track flat in the mud and water of the gutter when hethought Klink was about to look back. In this way he avoided discovery.
Klink continued on until he neared the pump station, when he slackenedhis pace. Fortunately for Steve, there were no lights in that part ofthe level, so that he had little difficulty in keeping out of sight.Klink kept on walking until nearly opposite the pump station, when hesuddenly disappeared. For a moment Rush was puzzled; then he discoveredthat his man had stepped in between two posts that held up the laggingat the side of the tunnel.
The boy's eyes gleamed.
"Now, my fine gentleman, we'll find out what is going on here! I believeI have landed the man I am looking for. I----"
It was just midnight, and the pump man had left his machinery to go forwater to drink with his lunch. Steve understood this, and evidently theman who was pressed close up against the lagging did also, for hequickly stepped out, glanced about him, then ran to the square openingcut in the rocks in which the pump machinery was located.
Rush ran up on tiptoe to within about twenty yards of the pump station.He was watching Klink narrowly. The latter snatched something frominside his coat, thrusting the object under the plunger of the largestof the pumps. Next came something long, slender and white that lookedlike a large string.
Almost holding his breath, Steve crept nearer.
"He is attaching a fuse. That was dynamite that he put under theplunger. He's going to blow up the pumps and flood the mine!"
Klink struck a match and applied it to the end of the fuse.
It was now Steve Rush's time to act. Seconds were precious. The boyseemed scarcely to touch the ground as he sprinted forward. He was uponthe man before Klink saw him. One swift kick from Steve's heavy boottoppled the man over on his side.
The Iron Boy snatched the burning fuse from the stick of dynamite andhurled it from him.
By that time Klink was on his feet. With blazing eyes he rushed at theboy. Steve believed, and with good reason, that Klink intended to murderhim. But the boy stood calmly awaiting the onslaught. The man was largeand powerful, but this did not daunt the plucky lad.
Klink was now more than three feet from him when, suddenly, Steve'sright foot flew out, catching the fellow fairly in the pit of thestomach. The man uttered an exclamation, at the same time pressing bothhands to the spot where the heavy boot had landed.
Rush fairly leaped into the air, his fist catching Klink directlybetween the eyes. Klink toppled over backwards, and Rush, having losthis balance, fell prone on top of him.
The fellow's arms and legs instantly clasped the boy in a tight embrace.But in that one close look into the fellow's eyes, Steve had recognizedhim.
"I know you! You're Spooner, and I've got you, you villain!" breathedthe lad, writhing and twisting to get his right knee up where he coulduse it to advantage.
Spooner, for it was the same man who had let the trap down under Steveon the tally-board platform, did not answer. He pressed the boy to himwith a force that made the lad think his ribs were going to be crushedin. At the same time the man was trying to turn over and get Rush underhim, where he would have quickly settled his young antagonist.
All at once the Iron Boy jerked his knee up, planting it in the other'sabdomen. Now the more Spooner hugged Rush, the harder did the kneepress against him. With a mighty effort the rascal threw himself on hisside. But in doing so he had relaxed his grip. Steve's right arm wasjerked loose, and like a flash the Iron Boy delivered two short-armjolts on the side of his opponent's jaw.
The blows half stunned the big man. Steve struck him in the nose with ablow that was intended to reach the jaw and complete the work.
At that instant there was a shout from down the level. Bob Jarvis camecharging upon the scene.
Steve recognized the voice of his companion.
"I've got him, Bob!" shouted the lad with what little breath he hadleft. "I've got him down and out!"
But Spooner was not quite "down and out" yet. He began fighting again insheer desperation. His one thought now was to free himself from the gripof those young arms of steel.
Bob grasped Spooner by the collar, and after a few violent tugs jerkedthe fellow free from Steve's embrace. Spooner staggered to his feet.
Bang!
Bob smote him a terrific blow on the jaw, and Spooner dropped in a heap.He was going to strike the man again when Steve stopped him.
"Get a rope, quick! I'll take care of him. There's some rope over thereby the pumps."
Steve threw the prisoner over on his face, twisting the man's handsbehind his back, and a few minutes later they had the fellow's handssecurely tied behind his back.
About that time the pump-man came running up.
"Telephone to the superintendent that we have the man," commanded Steve."Hurry, now! Don't stop to ask questions. Tell him we are bringing thefellow up in the skip."
Spooner by this time had recovered sufficiently to walk with an Iron Boyon each side of him. In that formation they made their way to the skip.
"None of your funny business now, unless you want another thump on thejaw," warned Jarvis threateningly.
Mr. Penton had not arrived when they reached the surface, so they tooktheir prisoner to the dry house, leaving word with the skip-tender tosend Mr. Penton over there at once.
The superintendent was not long in reaching the shaft, whence he hurriedto the place indicated.
"Mr. Penton, we have caught the guilty man," announced Steve. "There heis."
"What--who is he?" demanded the official half unbelievingly, peeringsharply at the prisoner.
"On the pay roll he is John Klink. His other name is Spooner. He isstouter and has grown a beard since you saw him last."
The superintendent uttered an exclamation of amazement. Steve brieflyrelated all that had occurred. Under pressure, Spooner made a confessionbefore they left the dry house that night of the whole miserablebusiness. It was he who had dropped the dynamite into the shaft. But hedeclared that it was his partner, Marvin, also working in the mine underan assumed name, who had lured Steve Rush to the lower level and pushedhim in. It was Marvin, too, who, by thrusting a monkey wrench into themachinery, had stripped the gear and put the cage mechanism out ofbusiness.
That night the villainous and revengeful Spooner slept in a cell, wherehe was destined to remain until his trial and eventual sentence to along term in prison.
Marvin somehow got wind of the capture of his associate in crime andfled. He was never heard from in those parts again.
On the following Monday morning the private c
ar of the visitingofficials once more drew up at the railroad station. Later in the daythe Iron Boys were again summoned to the office of the superintendent.They supposed it was for a discussion of the Spooner case with Mr.Penton. They were surprised to find the officials of the company thereawaiting them.
After greeting the lads, Mr. Carrhart made a little speech in which hepaid a glowing tribute to the brave boys, and at its conclusion heplaced a packet in the hands of each.
At the meeting of the officials there, a few days previous, it had beendecided by vote to make the lads a present. The packets contained thesepresents. The lads protested, but Mr. Carrhart was almost sternlyinsistent.
Upon arriving home Steve and Bob each found in his packet shares ofstock in the big steel company amounting to one thousand dollars. It wasa small fortune for them, yet they had earned it. At least the officialsof the steel company considered that they had.
The Iron Boys had done their full duty. But they were as yet merely atthe beginning of their career. There were stirring days ahead of them,as well as other promotions for work well and faithfully done.
The story of their further exciting experiences and advancement in thegreat industrial world are told in the next volume of this series,entitled, "THE IRON BOYS AS FOREMEN; Or, Heading the Diamond DrillShift."
THE END