"To help put through this new plan of yours, to come directly to the point. When the work is finished you may return to your mill jobs if you wish, though I should like to make a proposition to you to join my department. There is a prosperous future in it." Steve reflected over what the engineer had said. There were reasons why he wanted to accept, and others why he did not believe it would be wise. Jarvis left the whole matter in the hands of his companion, and he said so when Steve asked him for his ideas on the subject. "Very well, Mr. Phillips; if you think we shall be of any service to you we shall be glad to aid you to the best of our ability. I am afraid you are overrating our abilities. This will be new work for us and the probabilities are that we shall not make a very brilliant success of it." "I am willing to take the risk. You don't ask what I want you to do?" smiled the chief engineer. "It doesn't matter. Whatever you think we can do best we will gladly do." "That's the sort of talk that I like to hear. I'll tell you what I wish you to do. I am going to make you two young men foremen in full charge of the work, under myself and my assistant engineers, of course. How does the proposition strike you." "Why--why, Mr. Phillips," stammered Steve. "This is so sudden," murmured Jarvis under his breath; but the chief engineer heard him and laughed, much to Bob's confusion. "I am afraid you have given us a rather large contract, sir," continued Rush. "Don't you think you could find some one much better fitted for the work than we are?" "I am taking all the chances. That I am willing to do so should be evidence to you that I know what I am doing." "Very good, sir; we shall do our best to merit your confidence. Is there any time limit on the work?" "That is the point exactly. The work must be done within the next two weeks. The board has fixed that time limit. Now that they find they will be able to save money by the new arrangement, they are anxious to get the plan in working order at the earliest possible day. It is my plan to make each of you a foreman, and to let you arrange the work to the best advantage. How will you work it?" "Work from opposite sides of the river," answered Steve. "Jarvis on one side and myself on the other. While the men are building the abutment in the middle of the river we can be running the line to the furnaces and to the gas engine house on the other side. In the meantime your experts can be making the connections at each end, so that there shall be no loss of time at any given point." "Fine, fine!" nodded Mr. Phillips. "That is a most excellent plan. It's good generalship, and that is what counts in the battles of the industrial world, as well as the battles between the armed powers of the world." "When do you wish the operations to begin?" "To-morrow morning." "Will Mr. Keating permit us to drop our work at the furnaces?" "That has been arranged. You are free to start in to-morrow."