Rush said he was looking for a place for himself and his companion. The superintendent looked the boy over critically, discovering at once that Rush was no ordinary laborer. "Have you ever worked in the mills?" asked the executive. "Yes, sir; a short time." "Where?" "In the corporation's mills." "What did you do there?" "I was first in the accident department, investigating accidents, and so was my friend. From that we went into the mills to work. We made the change from choice, so that we could learn the business." "In what department?" "We started in the cinder pits, sir." "Hm-m! How long did you work in the pits?" "Not quite a day," answered the Iron Boy, flushing. "Oh! What happened to you then?" "We were discharged." "For what reason?" "Because an untruthful pit boss accused us of blowing up a cinder pit, either through carelessness or with design," answered Rush truthfully. "There was not a word of truth in it. If you will give us a place we will show you that we are all right, and can be trusted to do our work quickly and well." "So you tried to blow up the mill in order to learn the steel business, eh? And now you want us to give you a chance to learn at our expense?" "Not at your expense; no, sir." "Bring me a letter from your employer verifying what you say and I will see what we can do for you." "I wouldn't care to ask it," replied the boy promptly. "Nor would I care to take you, under the circumstances," answered the superintendent, with equal promptness. "Good day. I have no time to waste." The executive hurried out of the office on his way to the mills, leaving Steve standing there with flushed face, uncertain just how he ought to proceed. Some of the men standing about were grinning at the boy's discomfiture. Rush turned on his heel and left the office, fearing to trust himself, for fear he might say something unpleasant. He walked proudly away, not stopping until he was well out of the mill settlement. Then he sat down on a rock and thought matters over. This getting a job, after one had been discharged, was not the simple matter that he had thought it. The situation was getting serious. "But there are others. Surely, I shall be able to find something to do in one of the mills." Rush studied his list, and decided to visit the Grey works next. That meant a tramp, unless he wanted to wait nearly two hours for a steam train to take him around the base of the mountains, so he set out on foot again, for a straightaway five-mile tramp. It was late in the afternoon when Steve reached the place. He learned that the superintendent was out of town. The assistant superintendent was in the mills, so the boy sat down to wait for him. Hours passed, but still the Iron Boy sat reading a paper that he had found. Shortly after five o'clock in the afternoon the assistant entered the office. The mills were closing then; that is, the day shift was coming off and the assistant was in a hurry to get home.