The Iron Boys in the Mines; or, Starting at the Bottom of the Shaft

by Frank V. Webster

  CHAPTER XI

  RUSH MAKES A DISCOVERY

  Steve's new station was located on the main line of the electric tramroad. Long rows of dump cars were drawn there by an electric motor, onwhich sat a motor-man controlling the speed of the car with one hand,and with the other continually ringing a gong warning everyone to getout of the way.

  In the narrow levels, there was barely space enough for one to standbetween the trams and the wall, but the trams never stopped. Miners weresupposed to look out for themselves, according to the code of the trammotor-man.

  At the chutes, however, there was a large open space at one side, with aplank floor laid down, and above this hung the tally-boards, a series ofboards with quarter-inch holes bored in them. Every time cars were runover the chutes the men on the cars would call the name of thecontractor or the drift whence the cars had come, and the tally-boy orman, as the case might be, would then move the peg in the board forwardas many holes as there were cars. Each contractor had a tally-board, ashad each drift operated by the mining company's own labor.

  The tally-man at the chutes on level seventeen was a man named Marvin.Steve took a violent dislike to the man the moment he set eyes on him,and the questions that the lad would have asked about the working of thetally-boards remained unasked.

  Rush's duty was to strike the catch on the side of the car with an ironbar, permitting the side board to swing out, whereupon the load of orewould drop through the iron chutes to a lower level. From there it wasshot to the surface in the fast-moving skips, or ore elevators, that ranup an inclined plane.

  "This work is so easy that I am ashamed to draw pay for it," mutteredSteve, after an hour or so had passed.

  Still he was obliged to keep a sharp lookout for approaching trams, asevery second in this operation counted. The tram trains must unload andget back for other cars promptly, else miners working in the driftswould be held back and the work of that level delayed.

  As soon as a car was dumped, the dumper would call out "clear,"whereupon the motor-man would shove his train forward. Though the workwas easy, it had to be done quickly.

  During the forenoon Superintendent Penton and the mine captain cameswinging along the tracks. The superintendent spoke pleasantly toSteve, after which the two men took a seat on a bench in the plankedalcove close to the place where the boy was dumping cars of ore.

  "This shortage is troubling me greatly Jim," said Mr. Penton.

  Steve could not help but hear their conversation, his station being onthat side.

  "It has me beaten, too, sir," answered the mine captain. "I have beenthrough this mine from top to bottom, and from end to end, and for thelife of me I can't see where any such shortage as you say the reportsshow could have occurred."

  "You are sure the tally-boards are being properly kept?"

  "Yes; I have looked into that. Have you any idea that someone istricking us?"

  "No; I hardly think so. I believe, rather, that it is the result ofcarelessness somewhere. The report sheets show more ore mined thanweighs up after it is put on the cars. In other words, the output shownon our reports doesn't check up with the company's tally-sheets atDuluth. We are a good many tons short. It is up to you, Jim, to put yourfinger on the shortage. There is going to be trouble over this, unless Iam greatly mistaken."

  "Yes; there'll be trouble enough when we find out where it is--troublefor the fellow or fellows who are to blame for it," answered the minecaptain.

  "Well, keep your eyes open. If you need any help, let me know."

  "I've had the inspectors on the job for a week now, and they are nonearer solving the mystery than they were before they began."

  Mr. Penton was watching Steve at work with a thoughtful expression inhis eyes.

  "That's a promising boy, Jim," he said.

  "You mean young Rush?"

  "Yes. This is the kind of job I should like to turn him loose on, if hehad more experience. He's as sharp as a steel trap."

  "That is true."

  "He has that dogged persistence that would make him hang on like a bullterrier. I'm going to push him along as fast as seems advisable."

  "He's a likely youngster," admitted the mine captain, studying Steve'sback as the lad swung his iron bar with unerring precision. "Yes, he's avery likely lad."

  "I want to make an inspection of number twelve," said thesuperintendent, rising. "Will you come along?"

  The captain followed his superior officer, the two men soon disappearingdown the level. Steve watched their bobbing candles until he could seethem no longer.

  "Something is going on here," muttered the boy. "Reports show more oretaken out than has really been mined. I didn't want to listen, but Icouldn't help hearing what they said."

  For the rest of the forenoon Steve occupied his leisure moments intrying to study out how such a mistake could occur. He was notthoroughly familiar with the working of the system as yet, but hepossessed a good general idea of the methods employed to protect thecompany against mistakes and dishonesty.

  The time-keepers made their rounds four times a day, and any man not athis post lost his time until the next round. The ore was tallied at thechutes and weighed again after it had been placed on railroad cars fortransportation to the Great Lakes. All this Steve went over, his mindworking actively on the subject while his hands were busy dumping carsof ore.

  "The mistake, if it is a mistake, must occur somewhere between thischute and the freight yards," was the lad's mental conclusion.

  In this he was right. So full of his subject was he that, when thewhistle blew, he sat down on the bench that the superintendent hadoccupied a few hours before and studied the tally-boards as he ate hislunch. The manner of the tally operation was clear to him. There wasnothing complicated about it.

  Having finished his lunch, the lad strolled over to the tally-boards,and, with hands behind his back, began studying the names of the driftsor contractors represented there. Spooner's was the first to attract hisattention.

  "I'll bet I have shoveled that board full half a dozen times," mutteredthe lad, with a grin.

  "What do you want here?" demanded a surly voice at the lad's elbow.

  Rush turned and found himself facing the tally-man, Marvin.

  "I was just looking over the boards as a matter of curiosity."

  "Oh, you were, eh?"

  "Yes."

  "Well, folks' curiosity sometimes gits them into trouble," sneered thetally-man.

  "There is no harm in my looking at the boards, is there?" demandedSteve, raising his voice ever so little.

  "Git out of here! Git out, I say! If ever I catch you fooling aroundthese boards I'll trim you so you won't forget it," growled Marvin.

  Steve stepped back. Perhaps he had no business there, but he resentedthe manner in which the information was delivered to him.

  "I do not think it will be well for you to lay hands on me," heretorted.

  "What's that?"

  "If you don't hear well, I'll shout. I don't think it will be well foryou to lay hands on me."

  The tally-man strode across the planking and stood threateningly overthe lad, who had reseated himself on the bench.

  "Git off this platform!"

  "Oh, no, you don't. I have as much right here as you have. You can'tdrive me away from here, my friend. I'll stand on my rights here. Thisis the place where I'm going to stick until the whistle blows to go towork. If you think I am not going to do so, just try to put me off."

  Rush's jaw assumed a stubborn set. The man and the boy eyed each otherfor a moment; then Marvin turned on his heel and walked away.

  Steve grinned appreciatively.

  "I guess I had better look out for him. He surely has it in for me now."

  The whistle blew soon after, and work was resumed. Steve, during theafternoon, was too busy to pay much attention to the tally-boards, forthe cars were coming fast, additional motors having been sent out totake care of the rush. But every time the lad glanced toward the boardshe foun
d Marvin watching him narrowly.

  Once the lad observed something that set him to thinking harder thanever. After that he paid no further attention to Marvin, nor toMarvin's work. When the whistle blew at six o'clock Rush picked up hisdinner pail and made his way to the shaft, and a few minutes later hadbeen hoisted to the surface by the cage. He waited at the mouth of theshaft until Jarvis came up, when the two boys started for home together.

  "How did you get along on the Spooner contract?" questioned Rush, with aquizzical smile.

  "Never did such a day's work in my life! That fellow is a slave driver."

  "He is all of that," agreed Steve. "Have any words with him?"

  "Nothing of consequence. I threatened to break his head with a shovelonce--that's all."

  "I should think once would be enough," replied Steve, laughing softly."Don't let him run over you, but keep your hands off him. It's a prettyserious thing to have an argument with one's superior, even if he _is_ abrutal contract boss."

  "I'm surprised that they have a fellow like that in the mines."

  "He gets out the ore, that's why," answered Rush. "And, by the way, Iwant to talk over something with you after supper to-night."

  "You have something on your mind, eh?"

  "Yes; I have something that I want you to help me with. Perhaps we maybe able to do a great service for our employers. I am not quite sureyet. I can't be until we have tried something."

  "I'm with you in anything, Steve," answered Bob with emphasis.

  After supper, that night, the boys went directly to their room, wherethey were soon lost in earnest conversation. Their conversation wascarried on in whispers and the hour was well along toward midnight whenthey had finished with their plans.

  "Now what do you think of it?" questioned Steve, as they started to makeready for bed.

  "If you've struck it right we have stumbled on to the biggest game ofcrookedness in the mines. I mean _you_ have discovered it; you didn'texactly stumble on the game."

  "Be very careful. Don't make any mistake. I, on my part, will keep myeyes open if I find I can do so without attracting attention. To-morrownight we will compare notes."

  "Don't worry about me. I'll have it down pat. All ready to turn in?"

  "Yes."

  Bob blew out the light and the boys tumbled into bed, where they weresoon fast asleep.