Part 26 (1/2)

Chapter 18

A few nights later one of the junior engineers came running into the office where Hanlon and Philander were playing chess.

”Trouble down in Stope Four,” he gasped.

Philander jumped up, upsetting the board. He grabbed his glo-light and started out.

”Want me along, sir?” Hanlon asked.

”Might as well,” and Hanlon ran with them.

Down in the mine they found, after examination, that it was not as bad as it at first seemed. Some timbers had rotted away--or had not been good wood in the first place--and a rock fall had occurred. But once they started working at it, they found it not too big. Hanlon was sent running for the rest of the men, and in a few hours everything was all tight again.

Back in the office Hanlon picked up the fallen chess pieces while Philander and the engineers talked for some time. When they left Hanlon asked, ”Want to finish the game--or rather, since the board was upset, want to play another?”

”Better make it a rain-check. I've got some paper work I should do. Make it tomorrow.”

”That's okay with me. I'll go hit the hay.”

”Thanks for your help tonight, George. You pitched in so gladly, while the others were surly and grumbling. It was very noticeable, and I appreciate it. You're a good kid. Wish I had one just like you.”

Hanlon flushed a bit, and couldn't meet his friend eye to eye. ”I was glad to do it,” he said lamely. ”'Night,” and he ran out. Blast it, he thought, I hate using Pete that way, 'cause he's really a swell egg underneath. But the job's more important.

A few nights later they had finished the second game, and the elder had won both. He was consequently in very good humor, for the two were so evenly matched it was seldom either ever won two games in the same evening.

Philander leaned back in his chair and smiled at the younger man. ”Well, George, the freighter'll be here in three days, and I'm sending you back for your vacation.”

”Gee, thanks, Chief. That's swell of you. I'm going to miss you, but I'll admit I'll be glad to get away from this awful climate for a while.

This place sure gets my goat--I can't seem to get used to it all.”

”Then you won't want to come back?” There was disappointment in the question.

”Oh, no, I didn't mean that. I sure will be back if I can make it. Maybe this job isn't exactly what I'd dreamed about,” he had to hedge that statement a bit, and tried to make a sincere-sounding explanation, ”but that thousand credits a month is!”

”That reminds me--I want to be sure to recommend you for a good bonus.

You deserve it more'n any guard we've ever had here. Then, too, your ideas of rotating your crew, and especially that fertilizer deal, have raised the effective work-life and speed of the natives almost thirty percent. I figured it out, and they'll be getting off cheap if they give you what I'm recommending--two months pay as a bonus.”

”Yowie!” Hanlon yelled, making his face show excitement, and that curious avarice he had so carefully built up in these suspicious men's minds. ”That'll make me six thou in four months. I'll be rich yet!”

”You and your urge for money,” Philander laughed, yet there was a curious undertone of almost-contempt in his voice. ”Why're you so hipped on that subject?”

Hanlon grinned and misquoted, ”Life is real, life is earnest, and the gravy is my goal.” Then he sobered and said, ”'Cause with money you can do anything. When I've made a big pile, then I can go where I want to go, be what I want to be, and make people know I'm somebody.”

Philander shrugged. ”Maybe you're right, but I'd say there were better ways, George.”

Hanlon looked doubtful. ”I have the utmost respect for your ideas and greater experience, sir, but what's better than a big wad of credits.”

Philander looked more seriously thoughtful than Hanlon had ever seen him before. He was silent a moment, then answered slowly, ”This may sound 'old-mannish,' but I believe steady advancement in whatever work you choose; growing knowledge of many things; creative imagination put to constructive use; the growing respect and consequent advance in responsibility from your employers if you're working for someone, or from your neighbors if you're in business for yourself--those things are, in my opinion, of much greater value than the mere acc.u.mulation of money. And the best part of it is, that if you grow in those ways, that extra money will come to you, but merely as a corollary addition to the greater achievements.”