But he took the shovel and plunged it in the heap, lifted it full, and then with a look of disgust said:—
“What am I to do with it?”
“Shovel it away and get more out of the centre.”
Harry obeyed, and looked up for fresh orders.
“Now take a couple of handfuls and examine them. Don’t be afraid, man, it’s honest dirt.”
Van Heldre set the example, took a handful and poured it from left to right and back again.
“Now,” he said, “take notice; that’s badly washed.”
“Not soap enough,” said Harry, hiding his annoyance with an attempt at being facetious.
“Not exactly,” said Van Heldre drily; “bad work. Now when that tin is passed through the furnace, there’ll be twice as much slag and refuse as there ought to be. That will do. Leave the shovel, I want you to take account of those slabs of tin. Mark them, number them, and enter them in this book. It will take you an hour. Then bring the account down to me at the office.”
“I can have a man to move the slabs?” said Harry.