They walked slowly back toward the well. Before they reached it Peterson and Max joined them. Peterson had rolled down his sleeves and put on his coat.
"You ain't going down now, are you?" he said. "We'll be starting in pretty soon on some of the heavy framing. This is just putting in girders."
He was speaking directly to Miss Vogel, but he made an effort to include Bannon in the conversation by an awkward movement of his head. This stiffness in Peterson's manner when Bannon was within hearing had been growing more noticeable during the past few days.
"Don't you think of going yet," he continued, with a nervous laugh, for
Hilda was moving on. "She needn't be in such a rush to get to work, eh,
Charlie?"
Hilda did not give Bannon a chance to reply.
"Thank you very much, Mr. Peterson," she said, smiling, "but I must go back, really. Maybe you'll tell me some day when you're going to do something special, so I can come up again."
Peterson's disappointment was so frankly shown in his face that she smiled again. "I've enjoyed it very much," she said. She was still looking at Peterson, but at the last word she turned to include Bannon, as if she had suddenly remembered that he was in the party. There was an uncomfortable feeling, shown by all in their silence and in their groping about for something to say.
"I'll go ahead and clear the track," said Bannon. "I'll holler up to you,
Max, when we're ready down below."
"Here," said Max, "let me go down."
But Bannon had already started down the first ladder.