The Chief shook the other man’s hand warmly. “You’re staying on, aren’t you, Taylor?” And when the other nodded his assent, he continued, “I’m glad! Couldn’t have better luck! I was hoping that you would stick as my assistant. My first job for you is to find jobs for a couple of rodmen I brought along with me. Here, boys, I want to introduce you to Mr. Taylor, the assistant engineer and therefore your immediate boss.”
Taylor had flushed at Mr. Whitney’s words of confidence. It was easy to see that he would probably always be an assistant, never a full-fledged chief. He was the kind of man who could execute orders perfectly but when left with the responsibility of making decisions for himself, was likely to become flustered and upset. He took refuge in the inquiry about the boys.
“There’ll be plenty of work for ’em. It happens we’re a little short on rodmen just now. But about sleeping quarters—I’ve got your house ready for you, Whitney, and as soon as your dunnage comes along you can move right in,” he said.
“That’s fine,” returned Whitney. “But the boys—”
“Oh, there’s room here for the time being. We can see about something else later. But you must be famished. Come along to my shack. It’s about supper time. You come too, fellows. The regular mess is over.”
Both Bob and Jerry were overjoyed at the invitation. The long trip had made them hungry and they rather wondered where their supper would come from. Mr. Taylor waited until they had taken their suit cases up to the room that had been assigned them and then the little group walked up the street to the cottage that was the assistant engineer’s. His wife, a pleasant-faced woman, welcomed them and seemed especially pleased to see Whitney. Bob realized that his friend evidently was a great favorite and had made many friends during his years in the Service.
Mrs. Taylor had prepared what seemed to Bob an especially fine supper, considering that they were miles away from civilization. During a lull in the conversation he mentioned it. She was much pleased.
“Oh, New York has very little on us up here,” she said. “What with a cold storage plant and an ice factory, we don’t want for anything.”
It was so. In this frontier camp practically all the comforts that the civilization of a city could give were present: electric lights, ice, excellent stores—and the movie theatre. It was like transplanting a little corner of a city.
After supper they went out on the porch from which could be seen the works. Dusk had come during the meal and already the stars shone pale in the sky. Down at their feet vague outlines of the excavations could be seen, the darker shadows marking their extent. Down to the left was a cluster of bright lights.