Show 68 STUDENT LIFE ligence to be the superintendent As “Supe” it was his duty simply to handle the men and no one doubted Jack's ability in that direction He could do any job in the mill better than any other man and could “lick” any two men The possession of these two capabilities is the prime forerequisite of a western saw-mi- ll man the former being an advantage the latter an absolute necessity The newcomer approached Jack gave his name as Dan Clark and Unfortunately applied for work he Was dressed in a ‘hard boiled” shirt and “store clothes” Jack was just oiling up preparatory to the morning's run He could not suppress the remark “We don't hire no dudes here youngster” At the same time he gave the can a squeeze and a stream of black oil hit the stiff shirt square in the center He turned around indifferently to walk away just in time to feel an awful swiftness back of the ear Can and man went to the earth together There was a rush from all parts of the mill and everybody prepared to see the youngster “literally chawed up an’ swallered” But Jack didn’t rise and when the men carried him home the doctor said he didn’t know whether it was a fracture or not but it was dangerously close Everybody advised the youngster “to scoot” before Jack got well but he still hung around When Jack “showed up” again with a big bandage back of his ear our friend was waiting to see him “Wall” said Crane “ef you can work as good as you can hit you’ll pass Ever had charge of men?” “I run eleven once” was the re- p!y- - “That’s about the number as is up at No i supposin’ you go up You don’t haf to and take 'em know much only don’t let ’em know your ignerance You’ll soon ketch on Good luck to you” Somehow or other word reachevl Camp No I before he got there that the new foreman was the man “wot put Jack Crane on de hog” Everybody respected him from the first and he soon had a reputation for being “quick in the head” Besides he was “good at figgers” and that was something He caught on readily as Jack had predicted and could soon handle the “cant hook” with the best of them Dan was thus permanently installed in the lists of the I L Co and by sundry good works had soon won the hearts of everybody In the first place he started a school in which all the young “hob-nails- ” were receiving valuable instruction When the first Christmas rolled around he had a booming class and had even encouraged one broad-backe- d buck to aspire to college because as he remarked to this young man’s parents “the boy has excellent athletic possibilities” They didn’t know what that meant but said William they thought he had Stooks had heard of the new foreman’s commendable work and had often inquired about his history but as yet had received no information Everybody knew Mr Ciatk |