Ignatz knew whose pit had blown up. He knew that Steve was in an adjoining one, because from where he was shoveling he had seen Rush go down into the cinder hole a little while before the explosion occurred. As for Bob Jarvis, he had not been seen since the black column had lifted him from the floor.
Young Brodsky grasped the outstretched hands and began tugging with all his might. All his efforts were unavailing. Steve was being buried deeper and deeper every second.
"Hang on--I get somebody!" exclaimed Ignatz, darting away through the black cloud.
Kalinski, now running here and there, apparently very much upset over the disaster, was the first man the Pole met.
"Come quick!" he demanded, breathing hard.
"The pit! There's a man in there and he can't get out!"
"Rush. He die pretty soon if we no get him out."
"Go on! Get him out yourself. I've got plenty on my hands. I'll help you when I can get to it. There are others here who need me. Go along, now, and get the crazy fool out," added the pit boss, turning away.
Ignatz did not seem surprised. He appeared more disappointed than otherwise. That one of his countrymen should be so heartless made no great impression on the boy. What he was concerned in now was finding some one who would help him get his young friend out of the pit.
Brodsky ran here and there, with the result that he at last found two mill hands who hurried to the pit with him. It was no easy task, even for them, to get Steve out. The Iron Boy was still conscious, but he was quite seriously burned about the body. Fortunately he had saved his head and face from being very badly scarred.
After nearly pulling the boy's arms from his shoulders, working him from side to side as they would a post that they were trying to pull out of the ground, the men dragged him to safety.
"We take him to hospital," nodded Brodsky.
Ignatz nodded, whereupon the men carried Steve out and placed him in an ambulance. A second ambulance had just arrived, so the surgeon of that made a quick emergency dressing of the lad's burns, directing him to remain in the ambulance. Rush felt no inclination to do otherwise at that moment.
"Oh, that was the one Bob was sprinkling?"
"Yes. Put too much water on. Bang!" exclaimed Ignatz, striking a dramatic attitude.