Down the Slope Part 20

"Don't think we shan't get a whack at you," the leader cried. "Them fellers won't allers be 'round, an' when our time does come things'll be worse than they was in the shaft."

"If I ever hear of your touchin' Fred I'll take a hand in the row myself," Brace said threateningly.

"Oh, yes, you will," Skip replied with a leer, and then led his followers down the road, each one making some insulting remark as he pa.s.sed.

"I'll straighten that fellow out," Joe said angrily. "He's got the will to do most anything, an' we must take him down a peg before it'll be safe for you to move around."

"Don't say anything to them, for it will only make matters worse. I'll see to it that they don't get another chance at me. Sam, Mr. Wright wants to see us at the store. Will you wait for us, Joe?"

"Indeed, I will. Till things get settled I want to keep my eye on both you boys."

The superintendent was in his office, at one end of the building, when the party entered, and he beckoned them to join him.

"Don't hang back, Brace, for I wish to see you as well. I want to take your b.u.t.ty away, and give you Fred instead. How would you like that?"

"First cla.s.s, sir."

"I wish to have a few whom I can trust, on the lower level. I don't ask for any spying: but expect to be informed if there is any serious mischief brewing. There may yet be some who will aid Billings to gain his revenge. Sam is to remain with Thomas; but will work near you."

"Very well, sir," and Brace rose to go, thinking the interview was at an end; but Mr. Wright detained him.

"The most important matter is concerning the old shaft and drifts, from which points very much mischief might be done. Sit down while we talk of it."

At this moment Skip Miller entered un.o.bserved by those in the office, and, seeing the occupants of the little room, made his way behind a pile of goods where he could hear very much of what the superintendent said.

CHAPTER XI

BILLINGS AND SKIP

Joe Brace did not appear to think there was much to fear from the late rioters, so far as the possibility of their making an entrance through the old shaft was concerned.

"This end of the gallery is pretty well filled up already," he said, "an' with a few loads of slate it can be shut off entirely, more especially after the doors are barred."

"It is not from that portion of the mine that I apprehend any trouble.

Look here," and Mr. Wright spread on the desk before him a plan of the workings. "At this point you can see that an old drift runs parallel with, and not more than three yards from our lower cut. The veins probably come together farther on."

"It wouldn't take a man very long to work his way through," Joe said, reflectively.

"And not knowing where an attempt may be made, it will be very difficult to prevent mischief."

"Unless the old shaft should be guarded."

"To do that we should be obliged to station men entirely around our works, for here is the abandoned slope, and farther down the hill two or three places where an entrance could be effected."

"But Billings an' his crowd don't know all this."

"Possibly not; yet there are many of the older men who could tell the story."

Joe shook his head in perplexity.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "You four are to act as sentinels," said the Superintendent. "Study this map and you will hit upon a scheme."]

"I am not warranted in hiring a large force of men as guards," Mr.

Wright continued, "and we must do that from the inside. You and Thomas, with these boys as helpers, shall work on the lower level, and I will take care that none but true men are near by."

"How will that mend matters?"

"You four are to act as sentinels. It makes little difference how many loads you take out, for the company will pay day wages."

"Even then I don't see how we can do anything."

"You and Thomas must form some plan. Study this map, and I am confident you will hit upon a scheme."

"Is there any chance that the drift's choked with gas?"

"Very little."

Joe was thoroughly puzzled, and after several moments of silence Mr.

Wright said:

"Get your supper now, and then talk the matter over with Thomas."

At this intimation that the interview was at an end, the miner left the office followed by the two boys, and when they were out of the store Skip Miller came from his hiding place without having been seen by the superintendent or his clerks.

The leader of the regulators lounged carelessly toward the door until satisfied no one was paying any particular attention to him, when he stepped briskly out, and walked rapidly to a groggery situated at the farther end of the town.

Here, as he had antic.i.p.ated, was Cale Billings and a select party of friends, all of whom were discussing their late defeat.

Skip did not care to state the reason for his coming in the presence of the entire party, and waited patiently in one corner of the room until it should be possible to beckon the leader out of doors.

"Wright may think we're whipped," Billings was saying; "but that's where he makes a big mistake. He can't drive us out of this town, no matter how much he may blow, an' it won't be many days before we'll show what's what."

"There's little chance for us the way things look now," one of the party said, with a laugh.

"How do you know? The folks 'round here have seen what I can do, an'

they'll soon find out that there's a good deal of fight left."

As he said this Billings looked first at one and then another to note the effect of his bold words, and in doing so chanced to see Skip, who immediately made a series of what he intended should be mysterious gestures.

"What's the matter with you?" the man asked, angrily; but instead of replying, Skip placed his finger on his lips and quickly left the room.

It was several moments before the leader understood he was wanted, and when this fact dawned upon him he followed, meeting the boy a few yards from the entrance.

"Was you cuttin' up them monkey s.h.i.+nes for me?" he asked in a surly tone.