He motioned them to approach, when a furnace hand told him who they were. He asked the name of each boy in a hoarse, gruff voice.
"Who are you?" demanded Jarvis.
"I'm the Pig," answered the melter, his red face wrinkling into a grin, which was quickly smoothed out as if the effort hurt him.
"Pig-Iron Peel," he added.
"Ho, ho!" roared Bob immoderately.
Steve nudged him to be quiet.
"We are ready to work if you will tell us what to do," said Rush.
"You can pack the sand gutters after the charge is loaded into the ladles. Either of you ever worked on a furnace before?"
"No, sir," answered the boys.