"What do I propose to do to you? I'll tell you what I am going to do to you. I'm going to drive you out of this mine. I'll never stop till I've driven you off the range and out of the mine country. You'll never be able to get a day's work in a mine on this range after I get through with you, if nothing worse happens to you in the meantime. I'll----" "It strikes me that you are pretty much in the same box yourself----" "Oh, I wish you were a man! I wish you weren't a weak, baby-faced kid! I'd beat you to a pulp right----" "Don't let that worry you, Spooner. Sail in, if you feel you have got to take it out of me. Perhaps you will feel better after you have vented your ugly temper on someone, even if it is a boy. Now get off from this platform!" commanded Rush, with a sudden change of tone, as he rose quickly to his feet. "You've got no business here, anyway. Get out!" Steve grabbed up the iron bar with which he dumped the cars and started for the contractor. He had no intention of using it on the man, but he did not wish to engage in a fight with the fellow, being pretty sure that he would get the worst of it, for Spooner was a large and powerful man. Therefore the Iron Boy chose what he considered to be the most effective way of ridding himself of the contractor's presence. Spooner hesitated a moment, then began backing up, his face pale with rage, his fists clenched. "You had better turn about and face the other way, unless you want to fall through the chutes," warned Steve. Spooner turned with an exclamation. A second more and he would have fallen in and shot down to the level below. As it was, he was obliged to jump over the opening to save himself, landing on the other side of the track. There he paused and renewed his abuse of young Rush. "I've had enough of your nonsense! Get out!" commanded the sturdy lad. He, too, leaped the chutes and made for the contractor, brandishing his iron bar. Spooner turned and ran down the level until he reached the ladder, up which he climbed to his own drift. "There, I guess I shall not be troubled by that fellow any more," said Steve, returning slowly to his interrupted lunch. But he had not heard the last of Spooner. The contractor, fuming with rage, was already plotting the downfall of the lad who had been the cause of his undoing. CHAPTER XIV LAYING THE TRAP Steve Rush and his companion had held a long consultation over the events of the past few days. They had decided that it would be well to watch both Spooner and Marvin. Bob had overheard a conversation, or rather a few words, between the two men that warned him they were plotting mischief. "What can they do?" asked Steve. "If we knew, we should have no cause to worry," answered Bob.