The cries of the onlookers suddenly stopped as they saw, to their amazement, the ponderous object rise from the floor, slowly but surely, until the young workman held it abreast of him. Not a sound broke the deathlike stillness, save for the crunching of his own footsteps, as Jack North walked across the shop and dropped his burden upon the wheel Mires had placed there.
A loud crash succeeded, the heavy iron wheel having broken the imitation into kindling wood and smashed into the floor.
The cries of derision were supplemented by loud calls of admiration, which rang through and through the old building until a perfect din prevailed.
Fret Offut waited to see no more, but stole away un.o.bserved by the stalwart iron workers, who crowded around their victorious companion with hearty congratulations. Jack had won the friendship of nearly all by his feat, while Henshaw at once boasted of the act.
Mires, fancying that the laugh had been turned upon him, and he was about right, allowed all of the bitterness of his sullen nature to be turned against the young apprentice. In his wicked heart he vowed he would humiliate Jack in the eyes of his admirers in some way and at some time.
But no opportunity came for him, as month after month pa.s.sed.
Jack showed a wonderfully industrious nature, and he never seemed idle.
When not at work he was studying some part of the ponderous machinery about him, as if anxious to learn all there was to be known about it. The knowledge he thus obtained was to be of inestimable value to him in the scenes to come.
This trait of his pleased Henshaw, who, if a rough man, was honest in his intentions, and he caused Jack"s wages to be raised to seven dollars a week. This was done in opposition to his a.s.sistant, who had taken a strange dislike to him. His reasons for this will become apparent as we proceed. About that time Jack was surprised to find that Fret Offut had found employment in the building, though it was more as a helper than as a regular workman, his chief task being to wheel the sc.r.a.ps of iron and waste material away and to wait upon the boss of the big steam hammer.
He did not offer to speak to Jack, but the latter soon saw him holding whispered conversations with Mires and the second boss, Furniss, when he felt certain by their looks and motions that he was the subject of their remarks. Once he overheard Offut tell a companion:
"I sha"n"t wheel sc.r.a.p iron always and Jack North won"t be boss, either."
Jack had been at the engine works about six months, when he accidentally learned that the company were planning to ship one of their machines to South America, and that they were looking about for a suitable person to send with it, to help unload it properly and set it up. A few days later, as he was leaving the shop to go home, Henshaw came to him, saying:
"Let me put a flea in your ear, Jack. John Fowler has got his eye on you for the one to go to South America."
Scarcely any other announcement could have brought greater joy to Jack, for he had a great desire to travel, and this long journey would take him away from home for many months, he felt it would be a grand opportunity.
But he knew that Furniss had been working for the place, and he could not realize that such good fortune was to fall to him, so he said to Henshaw:
"I thought that Furniss was sure of the chance. I heard him say as much only yesterday." "A fig for Furniss! Old John had a long talk with me this morning, and I told him you were just the chap for the place, young and capable. He nodded his head and I could see that you were as good as taken. Of course we shall miss you, but it"s a trip a youngster like you can"t afford to miss."
"I should like to go, Mr. Henshaw, and I thank you for your kind words."
"Don"t cost nothing," returned the bluff foreman, as he started homeward.
Jack was too happy over his prospects to mind the baleful looks of Furniss the next day, or to hear the jibes of Fret Offut. Could he have foreseen the startling result he must have been bound with dismay.
The following Monday, when the day"s work was done and he was leaving the shop, Mr. Henshaw came along, and slapping him on the shoulder, said: "Let me congratulate you, my lad. It is just as I said; you are going to South America,--if you will."
"It seems too good to be true, Mr. Henshaw." "It"s the blessed truth and I know it I don"t blame you for feeling well over such an appointment, for it is something any of us might be glad of. But you deserve it."
The appearance of Furniss checked Jack"s reply. He could see the other understood that he had lost. He had another proof of the fact before he got home from Fret Offut, who said:
"Feel mighty stuck up, don"t yer? But let me tell yer,"twon"t do any good."
This was the first time he had spoken to Jack since he had begun work in the shops, and our hero made no reply.
The following day, as he was about to leave the shop at the close of his work, Jack was accosted by Furniss, who asked him to a.s.sist him a moment at the big hammer.
Jack started at once to his help, noticing that the building was completely deserted at the time, except for the second boss and himself; even Henshaw, who generally stayed until after the workmen had left, was gone.
His surprise may be imagined then when he saw Fret Offut step from behind a huge boiler as he approached. Still he did not dream of any sinister purpose in the minds of the two, and he was about to stoop to lift a piece of iron at the request of Furniss, when he discovered a bar of iron so suspended over his head from the cross timber that a slight movement on his part was sure to bring it down upon his head.
No sooner had he seen his precarious situation than he started back, when Fret Offut flung a heavy slug at his feet. The effect was startling, for the concussion on the floor sent the menacing bar overhead downward with fearful force.
Jack succeeded in dodging the blow so far that he escaped the full weight of the falling iron, which struck the floor endwise with a heavy thud. But before he could get beyond its reach the ma.s.sive bar tipped over, falling in such way as to strike him in the side of the head, and felling him senseless to the floor.
In a moment Furniss and Offut were bending over him with anxious looks on their grimy countenances.
"Is he killed?" asked the younger of the twain.
Jack answered the question himself by opening his eyes, though he was still too bewildered to attempt to rise.
"What did you do that for?" he demanded.
"Do what?" questioned Fret Offut. "You know well enough. You fixed that bar so it would hit me."
"Hear the boy talk!" came from Furniss. "It is true. If I get the chance--"
"Stop, you shan"t get us into trouble," yelled the man, in a rage.
"Not much," put in Offut. "Let"s teach him a lesson he won"t forget!"
"So we will," answered Furniss; and both started forward to attack Jack.
Chapter IV
Just in Time
Though still somewhat dazed by the blow on his head, Jack realized that the unprincipled twain in their desperation would stop short of no crime in order to carry out their purpose.
Thus Furniss had barely laid his hand on him before he was on his feet ready to fight for his life if necessary.
Flinging aside the second boss, he turned to meet the a.s.sault of Fret Offut, whom he caught by the collar and flung headlong upon a pile of sc.r.a.p iron and ashes still warm from the furnace.
Shrieking with pain the big youth scrambled to his feet and began to dance around as if he had a coal of fire in the heel of his shoe.
Furniss rallied to grapple anew with Jack, but though a strong man he found his match. Used to hard work all of his life, Jack"s sinews seemed like bands of steel and there was no breaking from his grasp.
"Help, Offut--quick!" cried Furniss, as his head was jabbed into the midst of a box of coal. "He--he"ll kill me!" spluttered the discomfited man.
But Fret Offut failed for good reasons to heed the supplications of his friend.
The next instant Furniss managed to get a hold on Jack which enabled him to throw him upon the floor.
"Go to South America, will you?" cried the exultant Furniss. "Let that settle it," and he aimed a furious blow at his victim"s head.