The Iron Boys in the Steel Mills; or, Beginning Anew in the Cinder Pits
CHAPTER VI
BOB'S DIZZY FLIGHT
"Bob, him there! Bob, him there!" cried Ignatz. "See, see!"
On a girder, a huge steel truss some fifteen feet above their heads, anda little to one side of the centre, lay a limp figure, apparently readyto topple off at the slightest jar. The face of the figure up there wasnot visible, for it was flattened on the girder, while the arms andlimbs hung over limp and motionless.
"It's Bob!" gasped the Iron Boy. "Help me, Ignatz! We must get himdown."
Young Brodsky did not wait to consider the matter. He darted away,followed by Steve. To reach the figure on the girder the lads wereobliged to climb the upright of a big automatic crane that was used forconveying heavy pieces of iron from one end of the building to theother. Ordinarily the boys would have been stopped, but in theexcitement no one paid any heed to them as they shinned up the ironcolumn, Steve in the lead, Brodsky so close behind him that now and thenRush's heels grazed the Pole's face.
Steve crept along the girder, using care not to cause it to vibrateany, lest he might be the means of shaking his companion down.
At last he reached the spot where Jarvis lay.
Steve uttered a shout to attract the attention of those below. As theyglanced up they comprehended at once. Jarvis had been blown to thegirder by the pit explosion. From appearances the spectators believedhim to be dead. Steve did not know whether such were the case or not. Herealized the necessity for haste if it were not.
"Throw me a rope," shouted the lad.
"There ain't any ropes here. Throw him over," called a voice jeeringly.The boys on the girder recognized it as belonging to Kalinski.
"Somebody get a rope, I tell you!" thundered Rush.
One was brought, coiled and tossed up. The first time it went wide ofthe mark and Steve, holding to Bob's unconscious form, fuming withimpatience, nearly lost his balance in trying to catch the rope. Thenext time he was more successful.
"Grab hold of the end, two or three of you down there," commanded thelad, letting an end of the rope drop to the ground. In the meantime hehad made the other end fast around the waist of Bob Jarvis.
"Are you all ready down there?"
"Yes; let him come."
After a keen glance below, to make sure that the men would not let theboy drop, Steve gently pushed Bob over the edge of the beam. Jarvis'sbody spun around like a top several times as it was being lowered. Rushbreathed a sigh of relief when he saw it safely deposited.
"Hold fast to the end of the rope. We're coming down," Rush shouted.Swinging himself over, he slid down, followed by Ignatz. The surgeon wasalready at work over Bob.
"Is--is he----"
"The boy is alive," answered the surgeon. "I don't know how long he willbe. We must get him to the hospital at once. Here, carry this boy out!"he commanded. "Have the driver hurry in with him. I will go on the otherwagon, as soon as I have dressed the wounds of this other man."
Steve started to follow the men who were carrying Bob out.
Kalinski grabbed Steve by the arm.
"See here, where you going?"
"To the hospital with my friend."
"Nothing of the sort. You're going to get to work, that's what you aregoing to do. You'll have lots of time to visit the hospital when youtake your vacation."
Steve Rush hesitated. He wanted to be with Bob, but he knew he had noright to walk out and leave his work in this manner. It would besufficient cause for his discharge were he to do so.
"Then I will ask you to let me off for the rest of the day."
"Didn't I tell you to go to work?" shouted Kalinski. "I'll have youfired for this day's work if it's the last thing I ever do."
Rush did not understand the full meaning of the words. He was troubled.Things were not going with the same smoothness that they had for thelast two years. Steve was in an atmosphere different from that of themines, or even of the lakes. He did not know just how to adjust himselfto the conditions. Then, again, there was Bob in the hospital, perhapsdying.
"I must do my duty, and I'm going to do it," muttered the Iron Boy."They shan't say that I am not to be depended upon. What do you want meto do, Mr. Kalinski?" he asked, turning to the pit boss.
"Now, what do you suppose I want you to do? What were you doing beforeyou two blew up the mill?"
"In the first place we did not blow up the mill. I was working in pitseven when the other one exploded."
"Then git back in number seven, unless you want me to throw you in--orout of the mill altogether. I'll have you fired if the boss don't do itfor me."
"I don't think you will fire me," answered Steve, bristling.
"I won't, eh?"
"No, you won't!"
"I'll either fire you out of the shop or else I'll break your head foryou. Take your choice."
Steve surveyed the irate boss for a few seconds, then picking up hisshovel walked slowly toward the pit in which he had had such a narrowescape from death.
Watski grinned sardonically.
"That's the time I took the wind out of his sails. I'll comb him down sofine he'll be sorry he ever got in my shift. It ought to be easy now.I've got both of them dead to rights. You bet I have!"
Rush was throwing out the cinders, raising a fine black dust that siftedover him like mist, except that in this case the mist was black. Hetoiled on steadily, scarcely taking a second for rest. The perspirationwas rolling from his face and body. The temperature was high out doorsand many degrees higher in the mill. Just back of Steve, so close thathe could hurl a shovel of cinders against it, was a huge open-hearthfurnace with a roaring temperature of three thousand degrees Fahrenheitinside of it. Beneath him was the hot bed of cinders and slag. Beyondhim was a long row of red hot ingots, running metal and hot steam pipes.
"It isn't any wonder that I feel a little warm," smiled the boy, wipingthe perspiration from his brow, at the same time taking quick note ofhis surroundings.
Traces of the accident were being rapidly removed. In a few moments noevidences of it would be left. The blown-up pit had been partiallyfilled with slag that fell back after the explosion, and already ashoveler was at work throwing the stuff out. The pit must be made readyfor the next cast, and the furnace was nearly ready for the cast.
Rush toiled until noon. He sat down to his lunch which he had broughtwith him, without opportunity to wash. The noon rest was to be for onlytwenty minutes, so there was no time to waste.
After finishing he walked to the door and gazed off toward the hospital,wondering how Bob was. Rush could see the roof of the hospital from thedoorway, but that was scant comfort. He turned back, walking slowlytoward his pit to take up the dreary afternoon's shoveling. Just as hereached the pit a light touch on his shoulder caused him to wheelsharply.
There was the boy, Brodsky. He was breathing hard.
"Hello, Ignatz, you're all out of breath," exclaimed Steve.
"I been by the hospital."
"You have? Tell me, quickly, how is Bob?" demanded Rush, gripping thearm of the Polish boy.
"Him wake up."
"He is conscious, then? Good, good! Tell me how he is?"
"Him not dead. Him get well, by and by."
Steve's face lighted up happily.
"Ignatz, you are a good boy. Did you go without your lunch for the sakeof going over to see how my friend is?"
Ignatz nodded, pleased at the pleasure of his friend.
"Doctor say Bob pretty much hard hit, but him get well."
"Go get your lunch, quick, before the whistle blows," ordered Steve.
Ere the words were fairly out of his mouth the shrill blast of the shopwhistle sent all hands scurrying for their stations, Brodsky among thenumber.
"Look out! Trouble him come quick!" warned the Pole, whispering inSteve's ear just before he bounded away.
"I wonder what he meant by that?" muttered Rush. "We surely have hadtrouble enough. I guess I'm a failure as a steel worker. But no! I'llbeat it yet. I'll win out! They can't do
wn me. I'll go through with it,and some of these fellows shall yet be taking orders from Steve Rush!"