THE CRISIS
The new donkey engine at the yard where Owen was employed was in charge of Bruce Howard, so the young lumberman now saw considerable of the young engineer, and quite a friendship sprang up between the pair.
"I'm not going to stay here very much longer," said Bruce.
"Don't like the work, I suppose," returned Owen.
"Oh, it's good enough, but I want to get into some big rolling mill or steel plant. What I would like best of all would be to study chemistry, with a view of becoming a high-grade steel maker. Such men are greatly in demand and they earn big salaries."
"Well, everybody to his own taste," came from Owen. "Now, I wouldn't like anything better than to be a part owner or boss at such a lumber plant as this, or own such a mill as Rice's, below here. I'm certain I'd never make a success of iron or steel working."
"I've been told that a fellow is only really successful in the line he likes," said Bruce. "Now, I've liked iron and steel working ever since I could remember. There used to be a small foundry near where I was born, and when I was only five or six years old, I sneaked down there and looked into the windows to see them cast things in the sand."
On the day that Ulmer Balasco made up his mind to interview Owen and Dale, and discharge them, he received an important telegram from Portland, and left for that city on the evening train. This gave him no chance to talk to the young lumbermen, and he did not return to the camp until three days later.
In the meantime Dale's hurts mended rapidly and on the third day he was able to be around again, although working was as yet out of the question. Larson had been transferred to the work on the flume, and the yard was now in charge of Andy Westmore.
"You jest take it easy," said the old lumberman from Maine. "Time enough to go to work when you're able."