"You," he said, poking Kalinski with a stiff thumb.
The Pole started up angrily, and was about to make reply, but quickly restrained himself.
"I want you to go over there and help put up those braces. You are having a pleasant visit and I hate to break it up, but the best of friends must part, you know. Let me give you a little advice, Kalinski. If you know what's best for you you will not spend much time visiting on this job. Don't forget for a minute, that I am the boss here, and that you are going to toe the chalk mark every minute of the time. As long as you are on the square you are going to get square treatment, but the minute you begin to travel in circles you'll fall off the earth!"
Bob wheeled and, walking over to Foley, delivered much the same advice to him. After that he saw to it that the men did not get together, though of course he could not prevent their doing so at the noon hour, nor was it any of his business what they did at that time. However, none of the crew on that side of the river found time for visiting during working hours. Jarvis saw to that. He kept his men on the jump constantly.
The same state of affairs existed on Steve's side. The Iron Boy was here, there and everywhere. Nothing about the work appeared to be too trivial for him to require his attention. The result was that when that first day's work was ended, the amount accomplished on both sides of the river made the officials exchange satisfied comments.
Late on the following day the abutment in the middle of the river had progressed so far that the iron framework that was to hold the pipes could be put in place. Steve Rush took charge of this. He knew nothing about iron work, but it did not take him long to get the knack of it.
As fast as a piece of tubing was braced he would be up near the top with eyes on everything. After an hour or so of this he returned to the shore. Work there had not progressed so rapidly since he had divided his oversight.
Rush called the men to a halt and lined them up before him.
"Men, you're loafing on the job," he said. "If I come ashore again and find that you haven't been doing your work the whole lot of you will be sent to the time-keeper with your time, and you will be done working in these mills for good and all. Do you understand? My word goes here, and so will you if you don't do an honest day's work. I am not going to ask impossibilities of you, but I shall expect you to do a full day's work. Now, fall to and get to work."
The Iron Boy did not even wait to see if they did so. He walked back to his river job. Three hours later he came strolling back with his hands in his pockets. Steve smiled softly. His lecture had not been without results. The men had done more than he had expected.