"Hum! I understand it was the fastening. The chain went under the trucks and was pretty well broken up before the train stopped."
"I can't see how you can hold me responsible if the links of the chain gave way."
Ulmer Balasco shifted his feet uneasily.
"I consider you responsible for this accident—you and your friend Bradford. Under ordinary circumstances I would discharge both of you." The merchant cleared his throat. "But, in consideration of the fact that you were recommended to me by Mr. Wilbur, I will retain you in our employ for the present. But in the future I want you to attend to your work up at the yards, and leave the railroad end of the business alone."
Owen's face flushed, and he was on the point of making some sharp answer, and throwing up the position then and there. But he thought of Dale and of how his chum was not yet able to move.
"All right, sir," he said coldly. He waited a few seconds. "Is that all you want?"
"Yes." And Ulmer Balasco resumed the reading of his trade journal.
"Oh, what a man!" thought the young lumberman, as he hurried away. "I'd like to throw his job in his face, and I will as soon as Dale and I can turn ourselves; and I'll let Mr. Wilbur know just what I think of Balasco, too!"
When Owen got back that night he felt in duty bound to tell Dale of the interview with their employer. Dale was as indignant as his chum, if not more so.
"I would have told him to go to grass with his old job," said he. "Now we are out here, I guess there are lots of other lumber camps just as good as this."