"I may be foolish, sir, but it struck me that the waste gas might be used to operate some sort of machinery in the mills."

"Hm-m-m!" reflected Mr. Keating, not fully catching the drift of the Iron Boy's suggestion. "What machinery?"

"I visited the gas engines a few days ago, and I was very much interested in them. I took the liberty of inquiring how much gas was used to run them, and when I got home I figured it down to dollars. It came to a very large figure."

"You are getting into the business deeply, young man."

"Perhaps I had no business to do so, but I was interested."

"Go on; what do you propose?"

"My idea is that you might run part or all of those gas engines with the waste from your blast furnaces, sir," answered Rush boldly.

"Hm-mm!"

Mr. Keating was surveying his caller quizzically. Steve looked him steadily in the eyes.

"How did you happen to get that idea?"

"It came to me when my friend Jarvis was complaining about the gases up on the charging platform. I do not know whether the idea is of any value to you. You are welcome to it if it is."

"We will discuss that phase of it later," answered Mr. Keating, somewhat sharply.

"You see, I have something of a personal interest in saving money. I am a sort of stockholder in the Steel Corporation."

"You are?" exclaimed Mr. Keating, plainly showing his surprise.

"Yes, sir; my friend and myself hold a few thousand dollars of the company's stock, on which we are drawing dividends."

"May I ask where you got the stock?"

"The officials of the Cousin Jack Mine gave us some, and with money that Mr. Carrhart gave us we bought some more. We are going to load up on steel with the money we earn hereafter," answered the boy proudly.

Mr. Keating laughed heartily.

"You won't buy very much on the wages you are getting here at present,"

he said.

"No, sir; not much, but we are not always going to work for the wages we are now drawing."

"You are right you are not. Let me ask how you would get the waste gas to the gas engines. Have you thought of that?"

"Yes, sir. Pipe it."

Mr. Keating rose, and stepping to the door of an adjoining office, called:

"Mr. Phillips, will you be good enough to come in here?"

The chief engineer of the mills entered the room in response to the summons.

CHAPTER XX

THE CHIEF EXPRESSES HIMSELF

"Phillips, this is young Rush, Steve Rush."

The chief engineer nodded, shooting a quick glance at the Iron Boy, after which he fixed his eyes on the face of the superintendent.

"Rush and a friend of his, named Jarvis, have come down from the mines.

They are learning the business with the intention of making it their life work. Is that not it, Rush?"

"Yes, sir."

"Mr. Carrhart has recommended them very highly, and I am beginning to learn that his recommendation was well within the facts. These boys have heads on them, Phillips. You are wondering what I am getting at, I see.

Rush is working on the blast furnaces. Let's see, what are you doing there?" asked Mr. Keating, with a twinkle in his eyes.

"I am the monkey-man on number four, sir, where there was a blow-out last night."

An amused smile flitted over the face of Mr. Phillips at the announcement. He was not taking the interview very seriously, as Steve quickly observed.

"The young man has had other blow-outs, but he bears a charmed life, I am inclined to think. Let's see, you were blown to the roof in the pit explosion in the open-hearth building, were you not!"

"No, sir; that was Bob Jarvis."

"Oh, yes; you were the man who was in the other pit. I remember now."

Steve nodded. He did not particularly like the personal trend of the conversation. It embarra.s.sed him. He wanted to change the subject, but he knew Mr. Keating well enough to understand that the general superintendent must first indulge in his little pleasantries before getting down to business.

"And what is more, Phillips, they are both stockholders in the company.

What do you think of that for a couple of youngsters working for a dollar a day?" demanded Steve's torturer triumphantly.

The chief engineer smiled more broadly now.

"Very remarkable, Mr. Keating. Regular infant prodigies." He was wondering, by this time, what the superintendent was getting at, knowing that there was some purpose behind Mr. Keating's good-natured raillery.

"Did you wish me to make a place for them?"

"I am afraid they would not accept if you did."

"Oh!"

"Rush has an idea that he can save us some money. He has told me what his suggestion is, and now I want him to repeat it to you. Go ahead, Steve, and tell Mr. Phillips what you have said to me."

This was different. It had been comparatively easy for the boy to tell his story in the first place, because it was backed by his enthusiasm.

That enthusiasm had in a measure been squeezed out of him by Mr.