Festing thought this unlikely, in view of the fellow's distance from the explosion, but could not be certain he was not struck.
“I'm sorry if you got hurt,” he said. “You ought to have heard the whistle.”
“Anyhow, I didn't. You want to stop shooting rocks when there are men around. Then you've mussed up the track and can't put her straight. Why don't you hire more boys and rush the job? Can't see why the bosses let two deadbeats like you and your partner have the contract!”
“We have got it. How we mean to carry it out is our business, not yours.”
“Then it's certainly our business if we work or not,” the other rejoined. “As the bosses will find out if they reckon we're going to lose our time to help you save your dollars!”
He went away grumbling, and Charnock looked at Festing.
“Was that bluff? Do you think he means it?”
“I don't know. They haven't lost much time through our fault, but the frost has interfered with other jobs, and I expect there'll be trouble if it lasts. I'm puzzled, because they're not a bad-tempered lot, and I understand that Wilkinson is not a favorite. Your throwing him down the bank wouldn't strengthen his influence.”
“It's easy to work on men's feelings when they're discontented,” Charnock replied. “The worst is that Kerr can't stand by us if the gang put down their tools. Labor's scarce in the mountains, and he'll be forced to do what they want.”
Festing gloomily agreed. “I'm afraid so. However, we must do the best we can in the time we have left.”