Part 10 (1/2)
”No, you won't,” the clerk said ”You go back to work or you git docked”
”Okay,” Daniel said purposefully ”I'll go back an' tell hioin' to come up here hisself”
The clerk backed down Everyone knew Andy's reputation He had been in the ot into an arguht ”Okay,” he said ”Tell hiit some pumps down there”
Daniel nodded He turned to leave The clerk called him back ”You new aroun' here?”
''Not'zactly,”
''What's your nains”
The cleric made a note on the sheet of paper in front of him ”Okay,” he said ”FU remember that”
”You took yer oeet time about it,” the timekeeper said sourly as Daniel went past him
Daniel didn't answer He went down into the blackness Andy came over to him ”What about the pumps?”
”The super wasn't there,” Daniel replied ”The clerk says he'll git 'eround beneath his foot The water sprayed ”They better git here daot a feelin' we're co” He looked up at Daniel ”You start bringin' over shorin' planks”
”Okay,” Daniel said He walked along the tunnel until he reached the stack of shoring tied the ten-foot planks through the thick mud back to the end of the tunnel
Nearly an hour had passed, and he had ht planks, when he heard the pickman yell, ”Hey, fore at Andy The fore the situation A strea the earth away
”Don't stand there lookin' at it, you donkeys!” Andy shouted ”Start packin' it”
I the earth back against the wall in an effort to seal off the water ”Git the shorin' planks up there!” Andy yelled ”I want a two-foot wall” He turned to anothera drain trench”
They all worked frantically, but it took more than an hour before the water was sealed off, and by that ti with the exertion One by one they dropped to the ground in exhaustion
Andy leaned against the shoring planks and looked down at the away the dripping sweat He took a deep breath 'On yer feet,” he said ”Move that coal We're led to his feet His clothing was soaked through to his skin ”What about the pumps?” he asked
Andy stared at hiht shi+ft git 'em, like they should've in the first place”
”But-” Daniel said
The fore coal in them trucks,” he said ”Or I'll have your ass outta here”
Daniel stood there hesitantly
”Git a move on!” Andy snapped ”It ain't our affair to worry any more about 'em than they worry about us”
Silently Daniel went to work The foreht Each man had to look out for himself
That was the way it see, when the weird, wailing shriek of thehis eyes The other boys in the room were already awake ”I wonder what that's fer,” one of the boys said
Outside, there was a sound of people running He went over to theand looked out Already ht street He pulled up theand leaned out ”What happened?” he yelled down
A man stopped and looked up at hiht ”Cave-in at the mine!” the man shouted back ”The West Tunnel fell in!”
I
His eyes glistened behind the wire-fraaze In the fewthere, theplanks had risen almost an inch
”It's still comin' in” The superintendent's voice was expressionless
''Yes, sir” Andy's custoet pumps in here?” the super asked
”I sent Daniel for 'em,” Andy answered ”He came back without 'e them back with you?”
Daniel cleared his throat ”The clerk said he would send them down”
The super turned back to Andy ”I think we'd better get up to the office” He started to leave, then stopped ”'Bring the boy with you” He stepped down fro carefully on the wooden planks so that his shoes would not get wet, he made his way out of the tunnel
Andy stared after hiround He looked at Daniel ”You sure you spoke to the clerk, Daniel?”
”I'm not in the habit o' lyin', Mr Androjewicz,” Daniel said quietly
Andy didn't answer He climbed down from the planks and waited as Daniel followed hi ”Keep pumpin' an' see if you kin move some of that dirt some more”
The men nodded and went back to work But as fast as they could empty each shovelful into the barrel, the wet earth ap Andy stood there for athe back over his shoulder
The daylight outside thecrowd of people pressed heavily on him When his eyes cleared, he could see the wohtly pressed with fear He saw children ide, dark, silent eyes, and men whose patient faces reflected their familiarity with death in the mines
One of the older men spoke to Andy as he walked by ''What's it like down there?''
Andy shook his head without answering A hushed sigh of pain escaped fronation
”It's been two days,” another it any closer to eroun's too wet an' still hbors gathered around to shi+eld her tears Aher away There was an old rule No tears at the mine shaft You must never show that hope is lost
Daniel followed Andy into the office The clerk looked up froestured to the door behind hiht in”