The Iron Boys in the Steel Mills Part 41

"Foley and Kalinski," muttered the boy. "A fine pair! It does seem impossible to get away from these fellows. They bob up in the most unexpected places and at the most unexpected times." Jarvis grinned broadly. "But this is the time the tables are turned. I'd like to see them cut up any of their fancy tricks on this job. There'll be music--loud music--if they try!"

The two men were working side by side. Bob strode over to them.

"You," he said, poking Kalinski with a stiff thumb.

The Pole started up angrily, and was about to make reply, but quickly restrained himself.

"I want you to go over there and help put up those braces. You are having a pleasant visit and I hate to break it up, but the best of friends must part, you know. Let me give you a little advice, Kalinski.

If you know what's best for you you will not spend much time visiting on this job. Don't forget for a minute, that I am the boss here, and that you are going to toe the chalk mark every minute of the time. As long as you are on the square you are going to get square treatment, but the minute you begin to travel in circles you'll fall off the earth!"

Bob wheeled and, walking over to Foley, delivered much the same advice to him. After that he saw to it that the men did not get together, though of course he could not prevent their doing so at the noon hour, nor was it any of his business what they did at that time. However, none of the crew on that side of the river found time for visiting during working hours. Jarvis saw to that. He kept his men on the jump constantly.

The same state of affairs existed on Steve's side. The Iron Boy was here, there and everywhere. Nothing about the work appeared to be too trivial for him to require his attention. The result was that when that first day's work was ended, the amount accomplished on both sides of the river made the officials exchange satisfied comments.

Late on the following day the abutment in the middle of the river had progressed so far that the iron framework that was to hold the pipes could be put in place. Steve Rush took charge of this. He knew nothing about iron work, but it did not take him long to get the knack of it.

As fast as a piece of tubing was braced he would be up near the top with eyes on everything. After an hour or so of this he returned to the sh.o.r.e. Work there had not progressed so rapidly since he had divided his oversight.

Rush called the men to a halt and lined them up before him.

"Men, you're loafing on the job," he said. "If I come ash.o.r.e again and find that you haven't been doing your work the whole lot of you will be sent to the time-keeper with your time, and you will be done working in these mills for good and all. Do you understand? My word goes here, and so will you if you don't do an honest day's work. I am not going to ask impossibilities of you, but I shall expect you to do a full day's work.

Now, fall to and get to work."

The Iron Boy did not even wait to see if they did so. He walked back to his river job. Three hours later he came strolling back with his hands in his pockets. Steve smiled softly. His lecture had not been without results. The men had done more than he had expected.

"Fine, boys!" he shouted. "That's the way to do it. Now go at it! Eat it up! Don't let the men on the other side of the river put it over you.

They can't reach your present gait, and I know you are going to keep it up."

Mr. Keating was in the vicinity, though Rush did not know of his presence, and the superintendent dodged in behind a building after listening to the remarks of the young foreman, then went on his way grinning broadly.

"I guess we didn't make any mistake; no, we didn't make any mistake," he repeated to himself.

By the end of the third day the line was laid down to the river bank on both sides. Then began the placing of braces to hold up the piping until it should reach out to the abutment in the middle of the river.

A temporary staging had been erected to hold the work in place until it could be permanently located. Many of the men were working high above the river now. Some were too light headed to make that safe, so Steve and Bob sent these men back to run the rest of the line up to the furnaces.

Each contract was working in three sections now, the boys having disposed their forces to the best advantage possible, so that when they closed that day's work their job was in good shape.

Steve consulted the skies.

"I hope we are not going to have a storm," he decided. "I hope not, for I do not believe either the staging or our construction would stand much of a blow in its present condition."

After supper he went back to the yards to look over the work, and to satisfy himself that it was safe for the night. The moon was shining, so he decided to go out to the abutment. Removing his shoes the lad walked a narrow brace all the way out. The structure trembled under his weight, but he had no fear. He knew that it would hold him. If it did not he felt that it would serve him right to go down with it, for it was his business to see to it that it was made safe for the men.

Rush carefully made his way across the river. He trod more lightly, now, that he might not throw any more strain on the structure than was absolutely necessary.

He reached the other side, stood on the bank a few minutes, then began to retrace his steps. He had gone about half way from the sh.o.r.e to the abutment when a sound reached his ears that caused him to halt and listen--to bend over and peer down into the shadows below.

"That sounds to me like a metal saw," muttered Steve. "It may be an echo from the sh.o.r.e, but I could almost swear it was down there somewhere about the abutment."

The river was so dark that he could see nothing at all, while the structure itself was in the bright moonlight. The Iron Boy crept along a little further, then lay down on his stomach, and began wriggling his way along in that position.

Reaching a point right over the abutment he placed his ear to the iron and lay listening.

"Rasp, rasp, rasp!" The sounds were clearly borne to his ears.

"Somebody is down there, as sure as I am alive! What can he be doing? I believe there is something going on here that I ought to know about. If I try to get down from here I shall be discovered, and there will be no chance of learning what I want to find out."

After a moment's reflection Rush started back toward the sh.o.r.e, hugging the girder as closely as possible to avoid discovery.

He reached the bank, scrambled down to the water's edge and stood peering out into the shadows. Not a sign of a human being could he make out, for the river was too wide at that point.

Steve hesitated not a moment. He removed his coat, vest, shoes and shirt, binding his suspenders about his waist for a belt; then he let himself down into the water without making the slightest splash.

CHAPTER XXIV

CONCLUSION

Instead of swimming straight for the abutment in the middle of the river, Rush headed directly up stream, keeping just a little way out from the sh.o.r.e. His object, at the time, was not apparent. It was a little later, when, after having swum up the river some fifteen rods, he made an abrupt turn and struck out for the centre.

All this time he was swimming without making a single splash, his hands and feet being constantly under water.

Rush was pretty sure that some rascality was going on, or he would not have gone to so great pains.

Reaching a point directly in line with the abutment the boy turned again, this time heading down stream, floating along with the tide, making just enough movement with his hands to keep him on his course.

The abutment was outlining itself in the shadows more plainly every minute, now, and Steve was straining his eyes in an effort to make out what was going on.

All at once the rasping sound ceased and he saw a man straighten up and look about him. Something bright glistened in the hands of the man under the abutment trestle. Steve settled down in the water as low as he could. Then the man resumed his task.

"I believe he is sawing the abutment supports down with a metal saw!"

gasped the Iron Boy. "The scoundrel! He's fixing the place so it will go down when all the men get out there to-morrow."

A great wave of indignation swept over Steve Rush. He was so angry that, for the moment, he nearly forgot his prudence. His first inclination was to shout at the man over there sawing away so industriously. But the boy quickly realized the foolishness of doing any such thing. His purpose was to capture the man. There would be time enough to cry out after he had done that.

"Who could do such a thing?" Steve muttered, beginning to rise a little higher in the water as he took wide strokes, driving himself along at as great a speed as was possible.

Steve permitted himself to drift around the side of the abutment, so that he might climb up to it as far away from the man as possible.

Otherwise the scoundrel might get the advantage of him. Steve's cunning was worthy of an Indian.

At last the boy's fingers grasped the edge of the abutment. He pulled himself up slowly, allowing the water to drip from him little by little as he rose from the river. Right beside him was a flat-bottomed punt moored to an iron pillar. It was in this that the man had gotten out.

Steve rose and listened; then, hearing no sound, he made his way over the cement and pieces of piping that littered the surface of the abutment.