Part 12 (1/2)
”He's straight; a smart manager underground, good at timbering and getting ore out; but that's as far as he goes.”
”Well, we'll look at the workings.”
As they approached the adit Watson came to meet them. He was a short, wiry man, clad in wet, soil-stained overalls. Andrew indicated the drainage trench.
”There seems to be a good deal of water in the mine.”
”That's so,” said Watson. ”We want to get rid of it. I've several boys in the sump, baling it up with coal-oil cans.”
”You mean the five-gallon drums you get your kerosene in?” Andrew asked in surprise. ”Why don't you order a pump?”
”We've got half of one and the engine's fixed. Guess we'll get the rest when Mappin's ready.”
”I'll send down word about it to the Landing.”
”You needn't. One of the river bosses is up here; he's getting his dinner now.”
”But dinner has been finished some time.”
”That don't count. We had pork to-day and the Mappin man figured he'd like trout, so I had to tell Yan Li to cook him some. If you want your plant brought up, you have to be civil to the transport people.”
The color swept into Andrew's face.
”Bring the fellow here!”
Watson grinned and called to a miner at work on the dump. The miner disappeared and presently came back with a man.
”You sent for me, Mr. Allinson?” he said, as if he resented it.
”I did,” answered Andrew curtly. ”You have a pump of ours which has been in your hands some time. I want it delivered here immediately.”
The man looked surprised at his tone.
”We'll do what we can, but most of the boys are busy on the road.”
”Then you had better send them back to the canoes. Our supplies must not be stopped.”
”It's awkward,” said the other. ”You don't quite understand yet how things are run here, Mr. Allinson. You want to give and take.”
”I expect to understand them better soon,” Andrew dryly rejoined.
”What we want at present is the pump, and if it isn't here by next week I'll charge your employer with the extra expense we're being put to.”
”The office wouldn't allow your claim.”
”I won't make one,” said Andrew. ”I'll knock it off your bill. No accounts will be paid without my sanction.”
”Oh, well,” said the other, ”since you make a point of it, I'll get down the river right away and see where that pump is.”
He left them, and Watson looked at Carnally as they entered the mine.
”And I thought he was an English sucker!” he remarked.