t blew the roof off av the
construction shanty, an'----"

"That was two years ago, Donovan," interposed Sammy Durgan hurriedly,
"and you've no blasting powder on this job, and it was no fault of
mine. I would have explained it at the time, but you were a bit hot
under the collar, Pat, and you would not listen. I was but testing the
detonator box, and 'twas yourself told me the connections were not
made."

"Did I?"--the section boss was watching his chattering gang of
foreigners with gradually narrowing eyes.

"You did," asserted Sammy Durgan earnestly, "and----"

Sammy Durgan stopped. Donovan had leaped from his seat, and was
gesticulating fiercely at his gold-earringed, greasy-haired laboring
crew.

"Yez are apes!" he yelled, dancing frantically up and down. "Yez are
oorang-ootangs! An' yez talk like a cageful av monkeys! Yez look
loike men, but yez are not! Yez are annything that has no brains!
Have I not told yez till me throat's cracked doin' ut thot yez are not
rayquired to lift the whole dombed right av way to put in a single
measly tie? Is ut a hump loike a camel's back yez are try in' to make
in the rail? Here! Dig--_here_!"--the little section boss, with
wrathful precision, indicated the exact spot with the toe of his boot.

He returned to his seat, and regarded Sammy Durgan helplessly.

"'Tis a new lot," said he sadly, "an' the worst, bar none, that iver I
had."

"But an Irishman, and one that can talk your own tongue, you won't hire
when he's out of a job," insinuated Sammy Durgan reproachfully.

The section boss scrubbed reflectively at his chin whiskers.

"An' how's Mrs. Durgan?" he asked, with some cordiality.

"She's bad," said Sammy Durgan, suddenly mournful and shaking his head.
"She's worse than ever she's been, Donovan. I felt bad at leaving her
last night, Donovan--I did that. But what could I do? 'Twas a job I
had to get, Donovan, bad as I felt at leaving her, Donovan."

"Sure now, is thot so?" said the little section boss sympathetically.
"'Tis cruel harrd luck yez have, Durgan. But yez'll moind I've not
much in the way av jobs--'tis a desolate bit av country, an' mostly
track-walkin' at a dollar-tin a day."

"Donovan," said Sammy Durgan from a full heart, "the day'll come,
Donovan, when I'll keep the grass green on your grave for this. I knew
you'd not throw an old friend down."

"'Tis glad I am to do ut," said Donovan, waving his hand royally. "An'
yez can start