"And that the man Jarvis then went back to number eight and began playing the hose on it?"

"Yes, sir."

"Do you deny this, Rush?"

"I don't know--I don't remember whether we were in conversation just before the accident or not. I can't remember. I do not think we were, however."

"You will admit the accusation in a moment," snapped the superintendent. "You had been told that it was dangerous to put water on a hot pit----"

"I had not, sir, neither did I put water on a hot pit. I knew Jarvis was sprinkling number eight, but I did not know that such a thing was dangerous. How should I? It was my first day in the mills. I was just beginning my work there. But, sir, what is it you are trying to do with me? Are these two men trying to get me into trouble?"

"It begins to look as if you had gotten yourself in, without any of their a.s.sistance. Does any one know how badly the man Jarvis has been injured?"

"I understand it is not serious," answered Steve.

"I shall have to discipline you both," began the superintendent.

"There can be no doubt," spoke up Foley, "that they were both to blame.

It looked almost as though they did it maliciously, but that is hardly possible, as they were taking long chances. It was disobedience of orders, as plain as the nose on your face."

Kalinski nodded emphatically.

"I agree with you. Rush, what do you think we ought to do in a case like this?"

"Am I to speak as I think?"

"Certainly."

"You won't like what I am going to say."

"Then I will stop you if you say anything you ought not to."

"What I not only think but know ought to be done, is to kick the man Kalinski and the man Foley out of the place. I shouldn't ask them to go, I'd use my boot. Both men have lied. The truth is not in them, and some day you will find it out, even if you don't know it now."

The two bosses sprang to their feet, starting toward Steve, who stood eyeing them calmly, but in a belligerent att.i.tude.

"I'd like nothing better than putting it over you two loafers. But, of course, you haven't the nerve to stand up one at a time and resent the imputation that you are liars."

"Stop!" thundered Mr. McNaughton.

"You told me to speak plainly. I am doing so, but I am telling the truth. Foley is angry with me because I told the truth and got him into trouble when I was in the accident department. He tried to get me to lie for him then. I knew, then, that he was more crooked than a steel rail coming through the rolls, and that's all I've got to say. I am glad to have put myself on record, and I'll take my medicine like a man, though the day will come when you will find that these men are rascals. The sooner you get rid of them the more certain will you be to avoid trouble. Good day----"

"Hold on, sir! Not quite so fast!" commanded the superintendent of the open-hearth building. "I have something to say for myself. The evidence is against you two. You have convicted yourselves. I have perfect confidence in both Foley and Kalinski. They have been faithful employes for many years."

"Yes, sir?"

"It is natural that I should take their version in preference to that of a man of whom I know nothing, and who has been in the mills less than a day."

"Even if those men are rascals," interjected Rush. "I dislike to use the word, but it is the only word I know that fits the case. If you wish to know anything about the honesty of myself and my companion, I wish you would be good enough to speak to Superintendent Keating. He knows people who have known us for some time, and----"

"I am running this division, young man. I think I am able to judge between right and wrong."

"Very well; I have nothing further to say in my defense. What do you propose to do?"

"I am going to do the only thing that can be done under the circ.u.mstances, though I dislike to do it with one of you in the hospital----"

"Please do not let that interfere with your decision," urged Steve.

"I shall not. You are both discharged!"

"What?"

"You're discharged! Leave the mills at once, handing in your time at the gate as you go out. I will advise the paymaster to hand you your money to-day, so you will not have to hang around until pay-day."

"Thank you. You are very considerate, indeed," answered the Iron Boy, sarcastically. "I bid you good afternoon. I hope some day you will discover that you did two boys a very great injustice. As for you,"

announced Steve in a firm tone, stepping over to where the two bosses sat grinning, "if you will come outside with me it will give me great pleasure to punch both your heads. But you don't dare! You'd call the police and have me arrested before I had gone one round with you. Good afternoon, Mr. McNaughton."

Steve strode from the office with head up. A dull flush showed under the soot on his face. He had met with his first real rebuff. He did not mind that so much as he did the fact that he had suffered through the untruthfulness of others. Rush knew that neither he nor his companion were in any way to blame for what bad happened. Neither of them knew that it was dangerous to sprinkle a cinder pit. Foley and Kalinski did know it and they had deliberately turned away when they saw Jarvis getting ready to wet down number eight.

"I'll not give up!" muttered Steve as he walked swiftly from the yards.

As he pa.s.sed the gate the gateman called to him to leave his number.

"I have no number," answered the lad. "I don't work here any more."

"You won't get your money if you don't hand in your time."

"I don't want any money that I haven't earned. I tell you I am not working here."

"I guess the boy must have been fired," grinned the gatekeeper, who knew that Steve had been working in the mills up to that time.

In the meantime Steve Rush was hurrying toward the hospital to see how Bob Jarvis was getting along.

CHAPTER VIII

IGNATZ ON THE WAR PATH

Steve found his companion sitting up in a chair, with head and hands bandaged. Bob had been quite severely burned, and he had suffered from the shock of the explosion. The surgeon said it was a miracle that he had not been killed instantly.

"h.e.l.lo, Steve," greeted Bob. "I can't grin without hurting myself, but I'm grinning on the inside of me."

"Oh, Bob, I'm so glad you are safe! I thought you had been killed when I found you were missing. What happened to you? Tell me all about it. I haven't heard the truth about it yet."

"There isn't much to tell, except that I was a bird. I flew without wings, and that is more than any one else can do. Did you see me go?"

"No, I did not, but some other persons did."