The Iron Boys as Foremen Part 19

"You may be sure that when he understands the circ.u.mstances he will offer no objections. I know all about what took place last night, and I heartily approve of your part in it. We have means of knowing what is going on in our mines. We have to do these things for our own protection."

"Yes, sir."

Steve felt much more light of heart after this conversation. That his superiors approved of his action in joining the union relieved him of a great weight.

By this time the mine had been whipped into working condition once more, and the work was going on with renewed vigor. The men, too, with the promises of the labor leaders still fresh in their minds, went about their duties much more cheerfully than before.

However, there were, if anything, more meetings than before. There were conferences outside of the mine that the Iron Boys knew nothing about.

Neither did Mr. Penton have knowledge of these secret meetings, in spite of the detective organization that existed in the mines unknown to the miners themselves. Cavard himself did not appear to be active, but there were others who were active for him.

Ten days had pa.s.sed, then another meeting of the union was held. There were not more than twenty of the members present. The young secretary was among the absentees.

Cavard called the meeting to order, commenting upon the small attendance. Then he made a speech in which he indulged in some plain talk regarding the purpose of the union. After he had done so he said:

"There is another matter that I wish to bring before the members. That is the question of our secretary. He is a most estimable young man, but you--those of you who listened to his remarks the other night--will agree with me that he is too young, too inexperienced to be entrusted with so important an office. It should be quite plain to you that he is not in thorough sympathy with our great work. In other words, I believe that he is the tool of the bosses. I have good reason for saying this, though for obvious reasons I hope my words will not be repeated. One of our members saw the boy, Rush, in earnest conversation with the superintendent down in the Red Rock Mine to-day, and overheard something that aroused his suspicion. Rush was reporting some of our private business. What do you think of that?"

A murmur arose from the audience. Cavard waited that the full force of his words might take effect.

"He's a traitor!" shouted a voice.

"I should not want to say that, men. I should call him an irresponsible boy, who is serving the purposes of the bosses without being fully aware that he is doing so. Of course the matter is in your hands to dispose of as you may see fit."

"Put him out!" shouted one of the members.

"Down with all traitors!" cried another.

"Mr. President, this is a serious charge that you have made against our secretary," said an elderly miner. "You are quite sure that he is a traitor to the union?"

"Quite sure."

"Then what would you suggest?"

"As I have already said, I do not believe the boy is so much to blame, but the effect is the same as if he were a traitor in reality."

"What shall we do?"

"You might, if you saw fit, choose another secretary," purred the Russian.

"Yes; that is what should be done under the circ.u.mstances. But is such an act in order?"

"Oh, yes. Charges can be preferred against him. We have as yet no by-laws. Some one might make a motion to depose him, if you think best, embodying the charges in that motion; then we can proceed to choose another secretary," urged the chairman. "The matter is in your hands, gentlemen," he added, rubbing his palms together. "It is not for me to suggest."

"Who would you put in his place?"

"It is not for me to say, but some such man as Mike Caldert might make an excellent secretary."

The motion, as suggested by Cavard, who would not suggest, was made and quickly carried. Then Mike Caldert was duly elected as the permanent secretary of the organization.

A gleam of satisfaction shone in the eyes of the Russian. He had triumphed over the Iron Boy, thus effectually disposing of him, as he believed. Cavard was a shrewd and unscrupulous man, and one who would stop at nothing to accomplish his ends, as Steve was presently to learn.

This matter having been disposed of, the president and walking delegate cleared his throat and began on a new subject that claimed the attention of the men at once.

"There is another matter, and one of great importance to every man in every mine on the range," he began. "That is the question of pay and of hours. We are working ten hours a day and we are getting less money than is paid by the other mines in the country."

This statement was not true, but the members present were not aware of the fact. They took all that Cavard said as the truth.

"It is time," he continued, "for us to take action in the matter. You should formulate your demands and present them to the owners for their consideration. The bosses are making money. There never has been a time in the history of the mines when they were making so much money. Your tonnage is increasing day by day, and day by day you are doing more work. But let me ask you, do your wages increase proportionately? Do you work fewer hours than before?"

"No!" shouted a voice.

"Do you share in the profits that you are piling up for the money kings?"

"No! You're right, we don't."

"Then if that is so, why is it so? It is because those who employ you are squeezing the lemon until it is dry, in order that their bank accounts may grow fat. Take the matter into your own hands----"

"We will, we will! How shall we do it?"

The men had become worked up to a high pitch of excitement over their leader's words, which had been skilfully chosen. He had touched the men in a spot where he knew they were the weakest. He had sown the seed that was destined to produce a bountiful crop of bitter weeds, and Cavard, president and walking delegate, smiled complacently behind the hand that he drew across his mouth after having delivered himself of the words.

"How shall we go about it?" repeated one of the men.

"I have here a few notes that I drew up hastily. They form a demand upon our employers for an eight-hour day and a fifty-cent rise for full miners, and twenty-five cents for miners' helpers and all grades below that. It is a most moderate demand. The owners will grant it, you will find, knowing as they do that the power of the union is behind you. I will appoint a committee to formulate the demands set down here. Then we will name a further committee to call upon the superintendent and present these demands."

Cavard named a committee of three, to whom he pa.s.sed over, not merely notes, as he had said, but a formal paper drawn up in detail, embodying the facts as stated by him.

The committee went through the form of touching up the doc.u.ment, making a mark here and there with a pen and discussing the paper. Finally they announced their task finished.

"When shall we present our demands to the superintendent?" asked the president.

"Right away," answered the members.

"Then I will appoint five of our number to call upon the superintendent to-morrow. Your chairman, of course, will head the committee as its leader. We will make an appointment to see Mr. Penton at his office to-morrow evening at eight o'clock, if he will see us, and I think he will," added Cavard. "I want all of those present to bear witness that this has been a regular meeting. You all received your notices to be present this evening, did you not?"

"We did."

"And you are prepared to give evidence, if necessary, that everything has been done in due form?"

"We are."

"Then, if there is nothing more to come before the members, a motion to adjourn will be in order."

A motion to adjourn was made and carried, and the members left the meeting place, Cavard retaining the papers embodying the demands to be made on the company.

Steve Rush, all unconscious of what had been done, was sound asleep in his bed. But a surprise was awaiting him on the following day that would set him thinking harder than ever.