MORNING SERIAL

“TAKE your girl out walking. Enjoy yourself. But don’t let your pleasure ruin everything you’ve set out to do …Ieuan!” “Yes?”

“I bet she’s a nice little girl.” “She’s fine, Frank.” “Then stick to her.” Cheered by Frank’s kind words, Ieuan tried to absorb himself in the work that awaited him on the bench. But thoughts of Sally and his mother’s reaction when she found out about their association still returned to trouble him, and he maintained a deep silence from the moment he took his place at the bench.

Thomas shrugged when Abraham queried: “What’s got into him today?” Ieuan’s silence irritated the chargehand.

He was in a bitter mood. Lu had approached him earlier in the morning and warned him that a rush order for some casting had come in. The extra cores would have to be made that day. He reminded Abraham that he would tolerate no delay. The castings were needed urgently.

“‘Work on till seven tonight’ – that’s Lu’s orders,” he grumbled to Isaiah. “Ought to give me plenty of time to get 10 big cores ready, he says. What’s he think I am – a machine?”

His displeasure increased when he discovered that Bull had clocked in after half past seven, which meant that the apprentice would not be allowed to do any work until nine. The thought that Bull might now be sleeping in some corner of the foundry incensed him, yet he knew he could do nothing about it.

But Abraham was mistaken. Bull was very much awake. Taking advantage of his hour’s freedom, he strode into the coreshop just after eight o’clock and immediately approached Ieuan.

He tapped him on the shoulder.

“Iron, I got something to say to you.’’ Abraham watched him closely.

“Any trouble from you,” he warned, “and I’ll have Lu to say a word or two. We got ten extra cores to make today. If you’ve anything to say to Ieuan tell it to him breakfast time.”

Bull gave him an angry look. “Who’s talking to you? I’m my own boss now. You nor Lu nor nobody else can tell me what to do, so dry up!”