The Iron Boys in the Steel Mills

ob had been quite severely burned, and he had suffered from the shock of the exp

't grin without hurting myself, but

illed when I found you were missing. What happened to you? T

a bird. I flew without wings, and that is mor

, but some oth

at do y

and Kal

ooked th

Why didn't he say what he was warning me about? Look he

a suspicion that h

his harness," growled Bob

dsky ran for some men, who dug me out. If it hadn't been for

esn't know much, and he wouldn't take a blue ribbon at a beauty show

rstand. Too bad

I did

You were led directly into the mistake of putting too much wat

right. I could go home now, just as well as not. I wan

't think either of us w

art in? What

will talk about it

g has been going on that I don't

chagrin at having let the words slip out. "I'll tell you what we'll do; we will take our lunches and go down the river

we weren't g

id

me on now; I'm no tenderfoot, and yo

been discharged. The

ir

es

at

to be abl

much of a

because we bl

his companion

ill. I blew up the pit-you didn't, and I didn't know that I w

hey hold us resp

of this. It's that wooden

" added

le for both of us ever since you made the report on Fole

ey told him lies about us, and he believed them. Think of it, Bob. He wouldn't

e all a

office, the injured boy listening with darkening face as the narration continued. He nodded

go, di

N

o their boot-tops. Wait till I get out! I've got a couple of good, swift punches in stock for them! They wo

s here. They would like nothing better than to have us do so. We should be arrested. Think of the disgrace of it! We will let them alone as

see them; then, if they say anything to me, it's all of

" answered Ste

e have fine jobs with good pay waiting for us there. We nev

hook h

on and steel business, and we are

ou tell

o get in one of them. I am going to s

ing on a picnic to-mo

ther place. Fortunately we are not broke. We have enough money in the bank to keep us for a lon

be underground, digging ore or b

, when you first went out on them. Let

burned knee and it s

d in the pit. That was the time both ends did not meet. Well, I'm going home to clean up and dress. I will c

ere? If I'd broken my stanchions, or smashed in some of my plates, then things would

face was serious and thoughtful. On the way he stopped at the Brodskys, l

not play the baby act and squeal. I'll show McNaughton and his bosses that I don't ask any odds of their old mills.

he following morning to have his burns dressed. Then the two went home. Jarvis was weak and staggered a little, but he would not let Rush take

ve been in a worse mess than we are. He's one of

aughed Jarvis. "I can't even shake my head now.

have lost our positions, don

nodded

no work in open-he

s look as if

hy

lly, and without reserve, to their faithful friend,

recital had come to an end.

es

ey, him liar, too. All liar

aughton. It was he who sen

Superintende

would be too much like whining, and we are not the kind

ick Ka

leasure. But we are not going to do anything of the

ge some fine night when there wasn't anybody

lls. I have not been here long enough to know about them. Will you tell me

them in all. He knew the names of some of the foremen

" demanded the Pol

spend the evening with us, if you ha

shook

take a club to me if I don't. I see you bimeby

room at a trot. Bob laughe

n odd lad,

rd luck than we are. I hope he doesn't try to induce Kalinski to take us back. That would please the pit boss, because he would think

perintendent will say when he

then he will be given the same story that Foley and Kalinski told Mr. McNaughton. I hope he doesn't hear

I'll see to it

ital to have your burns dressed. That will give me an opportunity to visit some of the other

es and nothing matters at all. I'm getting to be an old man

ughed h

me and split wood for his mother, the widow Brodsky. Instead, he started in the opposite direction. Ignatz was nodding

ling. The object that had brought the smile to the face of the Polish boy, however, was none other than Watski Kalinski

me?" demanded the l

y before I hit you

you run ag

run into me.

ac

earn his living since he was ten years old, at which time his father had been killed in the mills, leaving Mrs. Brodsky with a brood of young Brodskys, of whom Ignat

He had no time to raise his own fists in defense, though he was just prep

seconds, uttering a roar of rage. Ignatz calmly knocked him down again, t

nd nose. Ignatz knew full well that, unless he turned and ran, the tables would be

oafer!

Ignatz dodged clumsily, hitting Kalins

s!" taunt

his fists were up ready to defend himself. Yet he was not p

the abdomen, doubling the boy up and sending him moaning