"Discharged!" muttered the Iron Boy. "Well, who would have thought it? I might go and see Mr. Keating—but no, I'll not play the baby act and squeal. I'll show McNaughton and his bosses that I don't ask any odds of their old mills. Yet I did want to stay with the company. Well, we shall see what luck I have when I get ready to look around a bit."
Later in the day Rush returned to the hospital. Jarvis was permitted to go with Steve, with the understanding that the injured boy return on the following morning to have his burns dressed. Then the two went home. Jarvis was weak and staggered a little, but he would not let Rush take his arm. He laughed at the suggestion. When they got home they found Ignatz at their boarding house. The Polish boy was delighted to see them.
"Bob, if it hadn't been for Ignatz, we should have been in a worse mess than we are. He's one of the white men in this smoky part of the country."
"I'll shake with you when my hands get well," laughed Jarvis. "I can't even shake my head now. I couldn't shake if I had an attack of chills."
"I suppose you know that we have lost our positions, don't you, Ignatz?" asked Steve.
Brodsky nodded moodily.
"I hear men say you no work in open-hearth place any more."
"Well, it does look as if we shouldn't."
"Why?"