"I can't. I'm stuck fast."

Watski was doubled up with laughter. He howled with delight, sitting down on the cinders with arms about his knees rocking back and forth with shouts of merriment.

In the meantime Steve threw his shovel into the pit, and crawling into the pit, used the shovel for a support while he pulled his companion out.

Bob's trousers were burned to the knees; his underclothing was burned and the skin of his shins was blistered from contact with the hot cinders and slag.

Steve was so angry that he could scarcely control himself, but he was determined to avoid a fight if possible.

"Did he do that on purpose?" demanded Jarvis.

"He was in a hurry for us to get to work, and----"

"Get busy there, you lazy louts or I'll dock you for lost time!"

"You pushed me in!" shouted Bob. "You'd better not dock me. I'll have something to say about that."

"What is this disturbance about?" demanded Foley, coming up at that moment. "Watski, why aren't these men at work?"

"No good. Afraid of hot cinders."

"Does that look like being afraid?" interjected Steve, pointing to his companion's burned trousers. "I call that an outrage. However, we'll not trouble about it this----"

"You'd better not," growled Kalinski.

"This time," added Rush. "But I hope nothing of the sort will happen again. We are used to taking care of ourselves, and if we think we are being imposed upon we are likely to take matters into our own hands."

"Is that a threat--a threat directed at Kalinski?" questioned Foley, ironically.

"Oh, no. We do not make threats; that is, not until afterwards, perhaps," answered the lad significantly.

"Don't you think it would be a pretty good idea for you men to get to work?" demanded Foley. "You won't last long at this rate."

"If you can fix that pit so it will not burn the skin from our legs we will go to work."

"That's up to you."

"Then I will see what I can do. I hope the Honorable Mr. Watski Kalinski will keep away, even if he is our boss."

"Yes, he'd better keep his distance from me," growled Bob, who had been growing angrier as he gazed at the grinning pit boss.

Rush, after a quick glance at both the foreman and pit boss, began looking about for a plank. He found a piece of the required length after a time. This he threw into the pit, then climbed down on it. His shovel threw out a quant.i.ty of the hot cinders. Kalinski got them full in the face. It had been purely an accident on Steve's part, for the boss had changed his position in order to look over into the pit to see what his shoveler was doing.

The cinders burned Watski's face; they filled his eyes and filtered down inside his shirt. The boss danced a jig for the next minute or so, slapping his chest, pulling his shirt as far from him as he could and shrinking back to keep the hot stuff from burning holes through his skin.

"Whoop!" howled Bob Jarvis. "Now, how do you like it? Got a dose of your own hot stuff that time, didn't you? Good for you, Steve!"

Rush's face reddened.

"I am sorry, sir, but that was an accident. I did not know you were there. I thought you were sitting down over yonder."

Watski could not speak. His rage was consuming him and the cinders were keeping his hands fully occupied.

"I say, sir, it was an accident."

"It's a lie!" exploded the boss. "You--you did it on purpose!"

With a growl of rage the Pole leaped into the pit, intending to reach the plank. Steve hopped out on the opposite side and Kalinski fell on his face in the hot cinders.

Bob uttered a howl of delight. This was much better than he had hoped for. Watski was getting his punishment without the boys having to administer it, and he was getting it properly, judging from his yells.

By this time several men had gathered about the pit, making no effort to hide their delight at the Pole's predicament.

Rush hopped down to the plank, leaving his shovel on the ground. He grabbed Kalinski by the shirt collar and the seat of the trousers, and, without any apparent effort, tossed the man out of the pit. The spectators gazed at the young man in amazement. His great strength was a marvel to them.

"Oh, why didn't you let him toast some more?" grumbled Bob. "He hasn't had enough yet. I tell you, he's only half baked."

"Take your shovel and get in here. We shall be in trouble the first thing we know," warned Rush.

Bob obeyed reluctantly. He limped a little as he walked toward the cinder pit, for his legs pained him and there were blisters on his feet where the hot cinders and slag had burned through the shoes. Besides, he felt that he had not done his duty.

"Did you hear Watski give you the lie, Steve?"

"Yes, I heard," answered Rush, beginning to throw out cinders again. "He isn't worth bothering with. Let him alone. We cannot afford to have any fights at the beginning. I was in hopes things would run along smoothly."

Foley leaned over the edge of the pit.

"I'll report you both; I'll have you fined!" he growled.

"Go on!" jeered Rush. "Report the other man. If you don't, I will."

"Let me at him! Let me at him!" yelled Kalinski, starting for the pit.

"I'll rub his nose in the hot slag, I will! I'll show him he can't throw hot cinders in my face. Git out of my way!"

CHAPTER IV

LAYING HANDS ON THE BOSS

It was Foley's place to order the pit boss to let the boys alone and attend to his own business. Instead, Foley turned and walked away. He did not go far, however. He made his way to one of the open-hearth furnaces, where, un.o.bserved, he peered around the corner of the red-hot pile of brick.

Rush saw that an encounter was unavoidable. He was sorry, but he decided quickly to avoid coming to blows if possible.

Kalinski had stooped over to pick up a shovel. In his rage he was going to attack the boys with it. Steve was out of the pit in a flash.

"Keep out of this, Bob, unless the others mix in. I'll take care of that fellow."