“Hush, Fred,” admonished Jack in a low tone. “You’d better keep all that sort of talk under your hat for the present.”
Having proceeded to make themselves at home in the rooms by putting away their belongings, the boys rejoined Tom Rover, who had announced that he was going over to the office of the mine, one of the small buildings near the mouth of the mine shaft.
“It’s just possible Garrish may want to see me alone,” announced Tom Rover. “So if I give you boys the hint just make yourselves scarce for the time being,” and so it was arranged.
“But don’t forget if you need us just yell and we’ll come running,” announced Randy. He had heard his mother warn his father not to get into a fight with the mine manager.
While Tom Rover walked over to the office the boys wandered down to the mine opening, gazing curiously at the darkness beyond where only a few lights flickered.
“Gee, I never could see what there was in being a miner—I mean a fellow to work way in the bowels of the earth like this,” remarked Fred.
“I don’t think this is as bad as a coal mine,” answered Andy. “Gosh! that would get your goat, sure. Those poor fellows are hundreds and hundreds of feet out of sight of daylight. If anything gives way, it’s all up with them. I’d rather be a lineman working on the top of telephone poles.”
“Yes, or even an aviator flying through the clouds,” added his twin.
When Tom Rover entered the office attached to the mine he found two young clerks in charge. Neither of them was working. One had a newspaper in his hand and from this was reading some baseball scores. They stared in wonder at their visitor.
“Is Mr. Peter Garrish around?” questioned Tom. His manner was one of authority and the clerks felt instinctively that here was some one who was entitled to their attention.