Allan, closing behind him the little door by which he had entered, looked around for the tall form of the master-mechanic. But that official was nowhere in sight, so the boy walked slowly on, glancing to right and left between the engines, anxious not to miss him. At last, near the farthest engine, he thought that he perceived him, and drew near. As he did so, he saw that an important operation was going forward. A boiler was being lowered to its place on its frame. A gang of men were guiding it into position, as the overhead crane slowly lowered it, manipulated by a lever in the hands of a young fellow whose eyes were glued upon the signalling hand which the foreman raised to him. "Easy!" the foreman shouted, his voice all but inaudible in the din. "Easy!" and the boiler was lowered so slowly that its movement was scarcely perceptible. [Illustration: "'LOOK OUT!' HE CRIED, AND SEIZING HIM BY THE ARM, DRAGGED HIM SHARPLY BACKWARDS."] There was a pause, a quick intaking of breath, a straining of muscles-- "Now!" yelled the foreman, and with a quick movement the young fellow threw over the lever and let the boiler drop gently, exactly in place. The men drew a deep breath of relief, and stood erect, hands on hips, straightening the strained muscles of their backs. There was something marvellous in the ease and certainty with which the crane had handled the great weight, responsive to the pressure of a finger, and Allan ran his eyes admiringly along the heavy chains, up to the massive and perfectly balanced arm-- Then his heart gave a sudden leap of terror. He sprang forward toward the young fellow who stood leaning against the lever. "Look out!" he cried, and seizing him by the arm, dragged him sharply backwards. The next instant there was a resounding crash, which echoed above the din of the shop like a cannon-shot above the rattle of musketry, and a great block smashed the standing-board beside the lever to pieces. CHAPTER III A NEW FRIEND The crash was followed by an instant's silence, as every man dropped his work and stood with strained attention to see what had happened; then the young fellow whose arm Allan still held turned toward him with a quick gesture. "Why," he cried, "you--you saved my life!" "Yes," said Allan; "I saw the block coming. It was lucky I happened to be looking at it." "Lucky!" echoed the other, visibly shaken by his narrow escape, and he glanced at the splintered board where he had been standing. "I should say so! Imagine what I'd have looked like about this time, if you hadn't dragged me out of the way!" The other men rushed up, stared, exclaimed, and began to devise explanations of how the accident had occurred. No one could tell certainly, but it was pretty generally agreed that the sudden rebound from the strain, as the boiler fell into place, had in some way loosened the block, thrown it away from its tackle, and hurled it to the floor below.