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Often would he have to attend to some call of the stevedores, or wheelers, or shovelers now for a piece of spun-yarn now for a handspike now for a hammer, or some nails now for some of the ship's molasses, to sweeten water the which the Captain afterwards reprehended him for giving.
There were about 600 shovelers and laborers of this general class in the yard of the Bethlehem Steel Company at this time. These men were scattered in their work over a yard which was, roughly, about two miles long and half a mile wide.
After that, with twenty minute shifts, the work went along more rapidly, though once in a while one of the shovelers had to go back over the path, digging out where more snow had blown in. Hen Dutcher was not asked to share in this strenuous work. He had enough to do in the cabin, and this outdoor performance was no work, anyway, for a whiner.
Come up here with your shovels, Olsen, and break it down from the top. It's the crust that plugs Mike's wedge." He looked the fighting leader, standing at the top of the wind-swept drift and crying on his shovelers. It was the part he had chosen for himself in the game of life, and he quarreled only when the stake was small, as in this present man-killing struggle with the snowdrifts.
There was a respectful recoil in the opposing ranks which presently became a somewhat panicky surge to the rear. The shovelers, more than half of whom were negroes, had not come out to be blown from a cannon's mouth by a grim-faced veteran who was so palpably at home with the tools of his trade.
No gang of snow shovelers knocks at the door with offers to attack the mislocated snow at a price, albeit the highest they think the traffic will bear. Pioneer-like, some or all of the family must turn to and cope with such situations.
And half a mile farther we saw a man coming slowly; and who was it but dear old Tom Carr! I think I never was so glad to see anybody in my life. The poor fellow was so weak that he could hardly stand, but he was making a start for Track's End. "Jud," he said, "we started out Wednesday, with a dozen passengers, as many shovelers, and three days' food. We got to No. 15 Saturday.
There was a snow-choked drumming of the exhaust, and the driving-wheels spun wildly in the flurry beneath. But there was no inch of forward motion, and Ford gave it up. "We're against it," he admitted. "Back her down and we'll put the shovelers at it again while you're nursing her up and getting more steam. We're going to make it to Saint's Rest to-day if the Two-six has to go in on three legs."
The guards would rage and swear but could prove nothing so long as our fellows did not get too raw and do this too frequently. One day we shovelers decided to add to the gaiety of nations. While one attracted the guards' attention elsewhere we slipped a chunk of steel into the mess. There was a grinding crash, and a large cogwheel tore its way through the roof.
"If you don't peel the potatoes, and some one else has to do it, then you won't eat any hot dinner to-day. That's flat." "Isn't Dick Prescott just a mean bully?" growled Hen to himself, as the "relief" stepped outdoors to resume work. "See that Hen keeps busy peeling and washing potatoes," Dick advised Greg in passing. Then the three rested shovelers took up the task.
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