Ere the words were fairly out of his mouth the shrill blast of the shop whistle sent all hands scurrying for their stations, Brodsky among the number.

"Look out! Trouble him come quick!" warned the Pole, whispering in Steve's ear just before he bounded away.

"I wonder what he meant by that?" muttered Rush. "We surely have had trouble enough. I guess I'm a failure as a steel worker. But no! I'll beat it yet. I'll win out! They can't down me. I'll go through with it, and some of these fellows shall yet be taking orders from Steve Rush!"

CHAPTER VII

AN UNJUST SENTENCE

"You are wanted in the superintendent's office!"

Steve looked up from the pit into the face of a messenger.

"Superintendent Keating, you mean?"

"No, Mr. McNaughton, superintendent of the open-hearth furnaces. He's the boss of this department," grinned the messenger.

"Will I have time to wash?"

"You'd better be coming along, if you know what's good for you."

"Very well, but I must first report to the pit boss."

"He isn't here. He knows where you are going."

"All right, I'll take your word for it. What does Mr. McNaughton want with me?"

"He'll tell you when you see him," answered the boy.

Steve thought that the summons had something to do with the explosion in the pit. He had no idea that he was to be involved in any way, so he walked confidently along with the messenger, out at the rear door and on to a low, rambling building just across the tracks from the open-hearth building. This was the office of Superintendent McNaughton. Steve did not remember to have seen this superintendent before. The messenger, after entering with Rush, opened a door leading into a large office, and shoved Steve in.

A sandy-haired, rugged-faced man sat at a desk, while around the room were several men from the shops. Among them were Bill Foley and Watski Kalinski. The latter grinned when he saw Steve.

"What's your name?" demanded the man at the desk gruffly.

"Stephen Rush."

Steve's face was so coated with grime that it was unrecognizable, even to one who knew him well, which the superintendent did not.

"A man named Jarvis is your side partner, isn't he?"

"Yes, sir. He is in the hospital now."

"Never mind about volunteering information, my man. I'll ask whatever questions I want answered."

"Very good, sir."

"Where were you when the explosion in number eight occurred?"

"I was shoveling in number seven."

"Did you see the explosion?"

"Not at first. I saw the latter part of it."

"What was the man Jarvis doing the last time you saw him?"

"Sprinkling the cinders in number eight."

"Humph! What did you tell the fool to do that for?"

"I tell him?" questioned Steve wonderingly.

"Yes."

"I did nothing of the sort."

"Didn't the pit boss warn both of you not to put water on the pit when it was hot?"

"He did not. I heard him utter some sort of a warning, but it was not definite enough for me to understand what he was getting at."

"Kalinski, what did you tell me about this man's having told his partner to hose down the pit?"

Watski rose, full of importance.

"One of the men told me he heard this fellow Rush tell the other man to turn the hose on and cool the blamed pile off quick."

"He _lies_!"

Steve uttered the words quietly but incisively.

"Silence!" thundered Mr. McNaughton. "I'll have you turned over to the Iron and Steel Police if I hear any more of your impudence."

"I had no intention of being impudent to you. I simply said the man lies, and I repeat it. He knows no such order was ever given by me, and he knows that no one told him any such thing," added Rush boldly.

Kalinski's face was a study. It turned from red to white in rapid succession. The boss's fists were tightly clenched and he seemed to be trying to regain his voice, which had suddenly deserted him.

"Sit down!" commanded the superintendent, projecting a finger at Kalinski. "Rush, you be careful that you do not go too far. I am not inclined to stand much of your impudence."

"Mr. McNaughton, am I to be accused of something I did not do, and then not be allowed to say anything in my defense?" demanded the boy.

"I will be the judge of what you did and did not do. Foley, you say several of the men saw these two talking together--Rush and Jarvis, just prior to the explosion."

"Yes, sir."