“That’s so, but my chiefs at headquarters don’t want to know whose fault it is.  Their method, as you ought to know, is statistical—­we’re given a number of men and tools, and the value of the work done must equal the expense.  It’s the only standard for judging an engineer.  His business is to overcome the difficulties, and if he’s unable he’s obviously of no use.”

Charnock grinned.  “Employers’ logic!  Piffle of that kind only goes when there are more engineers than jobs.  I imagine there’ll be a change some day.”

“I’m sorry Dalton’s gone back,” Kerr resumed.  “He’s a friend of yours, and would have seen what we’re all up against.  But there’s another thing; the boys are beginning to kick.  We have had to lay off the ballast gang for a day now and then, and they claim they’re not getting a square deal.  One fellow told me we oughtn’t to have given the contract to a man without capital to carry him over a set-back.  He said if you’d had money you could have hired extra labor and kept to schedule, and in the end it wouldn’t have cost you more.”

“The argument is sound,” Festing agreed.  “In fact, it shows more understanding than I’d expect the boys to use.”

Kerr looked hard at him.  “I suspect that somebody is stirring them up.  You see, they haven’t demanded more wages yet; they only claim that I ought to hustle you.”

“The fellow’s object isn’t very plain, but I’ve no doubt the demand for bigger pay will come.  Well, we can’t hire more help, and if there’s no change soon, the frost will break us without your bothering.  We’ll do our best until then.”

“We’ll leave it at that,” said Kerr, with a sympathetic nod; and when he went away Charnock turned to Festing.

“Wilkinson’s the man, and as the boys have a real grievance he’ll find them easy to work on.  That means I’ve got to write to Sadie.”

“No,” said Festing.  “If you write, I stop.  Your wife has sent you money enough, and I’m afraid some of it is lost.  We must trust to luck, and in the meantime we’ll fire the shot.”

He blew a whistle and then striking a match lighted the fuse and hurried away.  A minute or two later, lumps of frozen gravel flew about the track and showers of smaller fragments scattered the snow.  As Festing came out of his shelter a man with an angry look advanced along the line.

“Why don’t you warn folks before you shoot off your rocks?” he asked.

“My partner whistled,” Charnock answered.  “What’s the matter, anyhow?  Did the shot jar your nerves?”

“A rock a foot across mighty near jarred my head!  A smaller piece got me plumb on the ribs.”

Festing thought this unlikely, in view of the fellow’s distance from the explosion, but could not be certain he was not struck.

“I’m sorry if you got hurt,” he said.  “You ought to have heard the whistle.”

“Anyhow, I didn’t.  You want to stop shooting rocks when there are men around.  Then you’ve mussed up the track and can’t put her straight.  Why don’t you hire more boys and rush the job?  Can’t see why the bosses let two deadbeats like you and your partner have the contract!”