"Brodsky tells me that you wish to see us, sir," said Rush, after greeting the division superintendent. "Yes, I do. What is this I hear about you boys having been discharged?" "I think Mr. McNaughton can answer that question, sir," replied the Iron Boy, with the suspicion of a twinkle in his eyes, as he glanced at the division superintendent. The twinkle was not lost on Mr. Keating, and he nodded, while McNaughton flushed half angrily. "Mr. McNaughton dismissed you?" "Yes, sir." "Why?" "I presume he thought we ought to be discharged." "You are evading the question." "I have no such intention, sir. What is it you wish me to say?" "Tell me the story as it is. It is quite evident that there has been a misunderstanding here. Mr. McNaughton has been misled by some one." "I will tell all I know about it, and exactly as it occurred. We began our work, evidently having incurred the dislike of the foreman and the pit boss before we even started in the pits." "Why should you have gained their displeasure?" interrupted Mr. Keating. "I can only surmise. The foreman was enraged when, as an inspector in the accident department, I made a report which brought criticism down upon him and led to his being reduced." McNaughton nodded. Already he began to see a light. "Now we are getting down to cause and effect," announced Mr. Keating, shooting a swift glance at his division superintendent. "Go on." "The two men began making it uncomfortable for us at once. But I dislike to say these things. It sounds as though we are whining. We don't intend to do anything of the sort. We are willing to take our medicine and smile, no matter how bitter the dose." "Go on!" Steve proceeded to relate the differences they had had with Foley and Kalinski, but through it all he did not mention the names of the foreman and the pit boss. From this he went on to tell what he knew about the warning, the hurrying away of the two bosses and the eventual explosion of pit number eight. Bob Jarvis was asked to give his version of the affair relating to the explosion only, which he did, pointedly and concisely. To a fair judge of human nature there was no doubt at all as to the truth of the story the boys were telling. "Now, Jarvis, you say that you did not know you were doing a dangerous thing when you put the whole stream of water on the pit, do you?" "Do I?" repeated the boy. "Yes?" "Do you think I would be foolish enough to blow myself up, just for the sake of feeling myself going up?" demanded the Iron Boy, with a belligerent tilt to his chin. Mr. Keating leaned back, laughing heartily. "Well, candidly, I don't, though I do not think even that consideration would stop you if there were any good reason for your blowing yourself up." "I suppose you are not so far wrong at that," muttered Bob, coloring. "There is another point that I should like to ask you about," said Mr. Keating, turning to Steve. "Yes, sir."