The Iron Boys in the Steel Mills; or, Beginning Anew in the Cinder Pits

  CHAPTER XII

  THE BOYS MEET WITH A SURPRISE

  Ignatz had gone when the Iron Boys made their appearance at the Brodskyhome next morning, carrying a trunk between them.

  "Good morning, Mrs. Brodsky and all the little Brodskys," greeted Steve,with a winning smile, as the family met him at the door. The coming ofthe boys was an event in that household. The children were bashful, andnot a word could he get out of them. They hid behind their mother'sskirts, peering out at the newcomers suspiciously.

  After placing the trunk in their room the lads went back for the secondtrunk, which was Steve's. An hour later they were well settled in theirnew quarters. They decided to wait until after the noon meal beforestarting off on their pleasure jaunt.

  "I suppose our friend Ignatz is at work, Mrs. Brodsky?" said Steve,sitting down in the parlor for a chat with the widow.

  "Yes."

  "Well, he is a good boy and you should be proud of him. If ever I get agood position I shall give Ignatz a job that you will be proud of."

  "You'll be lucky if you get one for yourself," grunted Jarvis.

  "Luck will change, old man. When a fellow sets his mind on doing acertain thing, then drives straight ahead, he's going to land what he isafter. No one can stop us, Bob."

  "Well, all I've got to say is that some one has given a pretty goodimitation of stopping us."

  While they talked, Ignatz, instead of being in the mill, as theysupposed, was hanging about the entrance to the company's offices. Hehad heard, that morning, that the general superintendent had returnedfrom his trip, and young Brodsky was determined to see him, even if helost a day's pay in his effort to do so.

  There were two entrances to the office building, but Ignatz hadforgotten this. After waiting nearly three hours he hailed a clerk whocame hurrying from the building, with the request to tell him if Mr.Keating were coming down that morning.

  "He's in his office now, young man, but he is very busy," was the answeras the clerk hurried away.

  Brodsky did not care whether the superintendent were busy or not, forhis own business was more important than anything that Mr. Keatingcould possibly have on hand, according to the way Ignatz reasoned itout.

  The Pole climbed the steps leisurely, peered into the corridor throughthe glass door, and seeing no one there, entered. He saw no one after hegot in. Even the Iron and Steel Policeman who usually stood guard in thehall was not there. The man was in the office getting some orders fromthe superintendent.

  Ignatz, who did not know that the regular entrance to Mr. Keating'soffice was through the main offices, wandered on down the hall, slowlyspelling out the names on the doors. At last he reached a door on whichthe word "Superintendent" had been painted in large letters.

  The long word bothered Ignatz, but he labored with it until he managedto convey the sound of it phonetically to his ears.

  "Him there," he muttered.

  Then Brodsky boldly turned the knob, opened the door and entered.

  Mr. Keating glanced up from his desk in surprise.

  "Well, sir, what do you want?" he demanded.

  "All liars!" exclaimed Brodsky, striking a dramatic attitude, legsapart, arms waving wildly above his head.

  Mr. Keating regarded the boy keenly.

  "Who are you?" he asked sharply.

  "Ignatz Brodsky."

  "Well, what do you want?"

  "All liars!" persisted Ignatz.

  "So I heard you remark before. Who is it who has lied?"

  "Kalinski, Foley--all liars."

  "See here, young man, I am inclined to think you are crazy, but if youhave anything to say to me, say it quickly and run along. Now what doyou want?"

  "Steve Rush and Bob Jarvis, him not lie."

  "Rush and Jarvis," repeated the superintendent. "What about them?"

  "They not blow up the cinder pits. Kalinski say they do, then pouf, outthey go!"

  "I don't understand?"

  Brodsky was dripping with perspiration from his efforts to make himselfunderstood.

  "Has anything happened to Rush and Jarvis?"

  The boy nodded.

  "What is it?"

  "Him fired. Him no get job. Kalinski, Foley--all liars."

  "The boys have been discharged, do you mean?"

  "Yes."

  "What for?"

  Illustration: "All Liars!" Exclaimed Ignatz.

  "For lies. Mr. McNaughton him fire boys because Kalinski tell lies."

  The superintendent snatched the telephone receiver from its hook.

  "Give me Mr. McNaughton's office!" he commanded sharply. "Hello,McNaughton, is this you? Is it true that the two young men, Rush andJarvis, have been dismissed?"

  "Yes." Brodsky caught the word faintly.

  "What for?"

  The boy could not hear the reply in the telephone, but he did hear thesuperintendent's next remark.

  "Come to my office at once. I wish to talk with you. Brodsky, I am verymuch obliged to you. Sit down. I may want to ask you some questionsafter Mr. McNaughton gets here."

  Ignatz, whose face had resumed its ordinary stolidity, dropped into achair, while his eyes gazed vacantly through the window. Soon thedivision superintendent came hurrying in.

  "What is this you tell me about those boys having been thrown out?"demanded Mr. Keating, with a slight show of irritation.

  "They are a bad lot, sir; a couple of impudent, untrustworthy fellows. Iwouldn't have them in my division under any circumstances."

  "Why not?"

  "Because, in the first place, they disobeyed orders and blew up thecinder pit after having been warned not to put water on it while thecinders were still hot. Then again, they had several quarrels with thepit boss and the foreman. Even in my office, where I called them to heartheir story, they answered me in a most impudent manner."

  "Is that all?" demanded Mr. Keating, in a sarcastic tone.

  "Well, it is all I can think of just now."

  "Hm-m! A desperate pair, eh? McNaughton, I thought you were a betterjudge of human nature than that."

  "What do you mean, sir?"

  "I mean, with all due respect to you, that I don't believe a word ofthis. What did the boys say--what excuse did they offer?"

  "Denied it, of course."

  "Tell me exactly what Foley and Kalinski said in making their charges."

  Mr. McNaughton did so. There was a slight flush on his cheeks, broughtthere by the sharp answers of the general superintendent.

  As he finished, Ignatz suddenly came to life again.

  "All lies!" he exclaimed, waving his arms over his head, after which hesubsided.

  "That will do, Brodsky!" commanded Mr. Keating sternly, while hisdivision superintendent flushed violently. "There is something more tothis affair than you seem to have learned. These boys came to me withthe highest recommendations from President Carrhart. They heldresponsible positions in the mines and they came here to learn the steelbusiness after having followed the ore all the way down. There is somemistake; depend upon that."

  "I do not think there is any mistake, sir. I know a bad boy or a bad manwhen I see him. These boys are the limit. Why, sir, I hear they made anattack on Kalinski on the street last night, beating him nearly todeath."

  Mr. Keating looked grave.

  "Lies!" muttered Ignatz.

  "Young man, do you know where Rush and Jarvis are?"

  Ignatz nodded.

  "Boys go work in Stevens' mills by Monday," volunteered the Pole.

  "Can you fetch them here at once?"

  "Yes."

  "Then do so. You need not say what I want of them. Simply that they arewanted at the office of the superintendent immediately."

  Ignatz was out of the office on the run. He burst into the house, wavinghis arms.

  "Come by superintendent, quick!" he shouted, dancing about excitedly.