Watski dropped his shovel, and uttering a yell of rage, struck at Steve. The blow, had it reached its mark, would have knocked Rush backward into the hot cinder pit. He dodged the blow, however; then suddenly Watski Kalinski found his wrists in a grip that made him writhe. The Iron Boy's thumbs were pressing on sensitive nerves.
Foley, in his wonder, forgot to hide himself. He stepped from the protection of the furnace.
The tears were actually running from the eyes of the pit boss. He was suffering great pain. But he got no sympathy from the mill hands who had gathered about. They were laughing and jeering at him, not especially because they sided with Rush, whom they did not know, but because Kalinski was not popular among them.
At this juncture Bill Foley came running forward. He saw that his pit boss was getting the worst of it, and that Rush would soon gain the sympathy of the crowd. He did not wish this to happen. Had it been the other way Foley would have been perfectly satisfied.
The furnace foreman dashed around the pit, headed for the humiliated boss. Jarvis saw him coming. Bob stepped in front of Foley.
"What are you going to do?" demanded the lad.
"And you keep out of this, or I'm likely to forget myself and hurt you. You know it wouldn't look well to have the foreman licked by one of his men," grinned Jarvis.
Foley gazed at the Iron Boy in astonishment. All at once he raised his foot, delivering a vicious kick. The foreman never quite understood how it happened, but the next second he found himself falling backwards into the pit, while the mill hands set up a roar.
Jarvis had been on his guard. When the kick was delivered, he caught the ankle of the foreman, giving it a quick jerk that threw the fellow off his balance. There could be but one result. Bill toppled over backwards, landing on his head in the pit.
"Get him out of there! He'll burn to death, Bob," warned Rush.
Bob helped the foreman out, but with reluctance.
"It would serve you right if you did burn. But don't you try any of your funny business on me again. You won't get off so easily if you try it on another time."
"Kalinski, do you think you can let us alone if I release you now?" questioned Steve.
The Pole did not answer, but if there ever was murder in a man's eyes it was in Kalinski's. Steve put on a little harder pressure.