CHAPTER VI
THE FIRST STEP UPWARD
THE Iron Boy held a three-inch fire hose in his hands. A powerful streamleaped from the nozzle. The first man it hit was bowled over like anine-pin, the man uttering a choking yell as he went down.
Another leaped at Steve with upraised shovel. He shared the fate of hiscompanion. One after another of them went down under the force of thestream from the fire hose.
It was a kind of warfare that none of those tough customers had everengaged in before. In a moment the men were yelling wildly, now and thenBob Jarvis's voice raised above the hubbub in a howl of joy. The heat inthe fire room quickly turned the water to steam, a dense gray cloudhanging over all, obscuring everything in the room. It was withdifficulty that the boy could make out the forms of his enemies.
The men were making desperate efforts to break through and escape by thedoor, to which Rush had slowly backed. As soon as a man sprang forwardSteve would let him have the full force of the stream from the hosesquarely in the face. The stoker would be on his back instantly; thenRush, would play the stream on the others, swinging the hose from sideto side to keep the crew back.
All the fight had been taken out of them, but the relentless streamstill played on and over them with terrific force.
"Quit! We've got enough!" howled a voice.
"I can't hear," answered Steve, playing the hose from one end of thecringing line to the other. "I'm going to turn on the hot water soon, Idon't believe this cold water will take all the dirt off."
"Skin them alive!" jeered Jarvis.
There came an interruption. The howls of the men, having reached theupper deck, had attracted the attention of the chief engineer. He hadcome running down the companion ladder, believing something serious hadhappened in the engine room. He was met by a cloud of steam.
"What's going on here? Have you blown out a tube?" he shouted.
"No; I'm blowing off some rowdies, that's all. Bob, shut off the water.The fun's all over."
Macrae grasped Rush by the collar.
"What does this mean? I'll discharge you at the end of the cruise."
"I am sorry, sir; but those men attacked us and we had to fight them thebest way we could. I thought a shower bath would do them more good thananything else, and cool them off quicker."
"Get to work there, you lazy lubbers. Your steam is twenty pounds belowthe mark. I'll fine the lot of you. Rush, come up to the deck, I want totalk with you."
"I would suggest, sir, that you hear what the men have to say first."
"How did this row start?" demanded the chief engineer.
"He turned the hose on us, jest because he got a grouch on against us."
"That's a lie!" exclaimed Jarvis.
Mr. Macrae motioned for Steve to accompany him. The boy followed up tothe deck where the chief led the way to his office and cabin.
"Now, I'll listen to the story. You have done a very serious thing; youhave imperiled the safety of the ship and laid yourself liable to arrestand ironing. What have you to say?"
"I acted purely in self defense. It was a case of defend yourself or getmy head knocked off. I chose the former. I am sorry I was the cause ofthe steam going down, but we can put on more steam in a few minutes. Icouldn't do the same for my head."
"Tell me exactly what occurred."
Rush did so, omitting the name of the stoker who had been the real causeof the uprising. Mr. Macrae listened with grave face until the story ofthe trouble had been told.
"Who started it?"
"I would rather not say. I do not think he will start anything else verysoon. He got about all that was coming to him."
"I should say he did. However, this is a matter that will have to belaid before Captain Simms. Go back to the fire room. I will accompanyyou and see that matters are straightened out."
This the chief did.
"The next man who starts any disturbance here will be put in irons!"said Mr. Macrae sternly. "This applies to every one of you. I shall laythe matter before the captain, as it is. He will act as he thinks best,but it is my opinion that the whole gang of you ought to be thrown offthe ship at the first stop. You may be, at that."
As soon as the captain rose, the chief told him the story of the battlein the stoke hole.
"What, those two boys did up the whole crew of ten men down there?"exclaimed the master.
"That's about what it amounted to."
"Most remarkable thing I ever heard of! But I will guarantee they neverstarted the row."
"No, I think not. Both boys refuse to say who did."
"Good for them. I knew they had the right kind of stuff in them. Pity wehaven't got more like them."
"What do you think best to do, sir?"
Captain Simms reflected for a moment.
"Being convinced that the stokers are wholly to blame, I shall fine eachof them a day's pay. You may so inform them."
"And the two boys also?"
"No. Why should they be fined? You can't blame them for defendingthemselves. What time do the boys come off watch?"
"Nine o'clock."
"Tell them to report to me after they get fixed up."
"Very good, sir."
Captain Simms went to his cabin, where he related to the first mate thestory of the fire room row. Both officers laughed heartily.
"I would have given a month's wages to have seen that fuss," laughed themate. "I guess the black-face gang has come to the conclusion that ithas picked up a couple of Tartars. Evidently it isn't the first timethose lads have been called upon to take care of themselves."
Before the stoke hole watch knocked off the captain made it his businessto go below and look over the men. Every man save the Iron Boys wore asullen, revengeful look on his face. But this was not all. There wasblood on several of the faces, and the men's clothes and hair still boretraces of the shower bath that Steve Rush had given them.
Neither lad paid any attention to the captain. They went on with theirwork as steadily as though he were not present, or nothing out of theordinary had occurred.
The captain turned away rather hastily and left the compartment. He feltthat, if he remained a second longer, he would have to laugh. That wouldnot do at all. And laugh he did, after he had gotten far enough awayfrom the fire room to make wise such a proceeding.
"I'll get even with you for that!" snarled Smith in Rush's ear, afterthe departure of the master.
Steve made no reply.
"You'll wake up one of these fine mornings wetter than I was after youturned the hose on me, you whelp!"
Smith drove his elbow into the Iron Boy's side with considerable force.Rush slowly faced him.
"Look here, you loafer, I'll knock you down if you do that again. Or,if you prefer it, I'll give you another bath. You are trying to pick afight with me. I am not looking for it, but if you insist I'll give youwhat you want. Fight or stop!"
Smith glanced uneasily at the door leading from the fire room, mutteredsomething unintelligible to the others and began shoveling coal into hisfurnace.
Shortly after that the watch ended. Steve hurried through his bath.After putting on his clean clothes he called on the captain. The latterlooked over the slim, well set-up young lad quizzically.
"I didn't think it of you, Rush."
Steve flushed painfully.
"You wish to see me, sir?"
"Yes. Be careful. In this instance let me say very frankly that I amglad you cleaned out that lot. The only trouble is that you ought tohave thrown the whole gang overboard. We can't spare them, or I mighthave done it myself before this. I'm going to take you two boys off thestoke hole watch."
"What do you wish us to do, sir?"
"I will promote you to the deck."