The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1942-07-30
CHAPTER III

On the dock it took the combined
efforts of both Lee and Curt to keep
the boys out of mischief.
Presently downriver boat snug
gled into its berth with the ease of
a ferry. 1t gave a pair of toots,
delicate as French railway trains,
as the gangplank was wheeled to
the vessels side and the job of
berthing completed.
Senior Montaya was unmistakable
tall, erect of bearing, very clearly
the genie de pelo, the genie prin-
cipal of these countries. He wore
faultless whites, crisp panama on
curly black hair. Straight from the
ship to the little group he came.
my sincere apologies, Mr.. Cur
tbs, Mrs. Curtis" were his first
words. He spoke with very little
accent, though the timbre of his
voice betrayed his Spanish origin.
He made deep bow to Lee, held
out his hand to Curt. 81 have been
more than busy since-ah, Mr..
Mitchells unfortunate happening.
You have discovered by now the
reason I need new Chief Engi-
neer, no?"
An opportunity to study the other
man came as the senior stopped to
make a fuss over the boys. Apollo
Mo Montaya was a suave gentle
man whose bearing, as well as his
speech, showed considerable Gull
ture. Certainly he was Spanish
American, as the name implied, but
of what country it wasn't so easy to
decide
Lee took the boys in hand, hold
ing their interest with the selection
of gigantic, gaudy straw hat for
each of them, from stock piled a
dozen high on vendors head, while
Senior Montaya led Curt on quick
survey of the docks and facilities
mere.
In the sheds, two items instantly
caught the eye-two boxes forty feet
long, ten wide, and quite thin for
these dimensions. Curt cooked a
brow at them.
Montaya said briefly, Spare
wings. We have two planes. One
of them was tied up for weeks once
by a damaged wing, so now we
have spares on hand"
81 heard you've had considerable
use from your planes"
YES" was the monosyllabic re-
ply.
What make are they?"
It was a conversational question.
1t would have made no difference
one way or another what Montaya
answered, yet the question brought
a sharp, quick glance from eyes
that were beady black here in the
gloom of the big receiving she'd
and a rotund vagueness in reply.
One end of the bodega was piled
high with barrels bearing the stencil
of a well-nown chemical firm. Curt
paused before them, looked them
over with considerable interest.
Lime.
$50 you treat the soil before plant
ing?" he asked. "Over-acid, I sup
pose, from centuries of flooding"
A frown definitely stamped Mon
taya's forehead at this, but was i'm
mediately chased away by smile
that showed even, white teeth.
THAT, Mr.. Curtis" the senior re-
piled smoothly, sis question that
would come under the head of chem
ical research. We have a chemical
expert, DR.. Toenjes, from Amster-
dam. If he likes you, he may be
willing to answer your questions.
But wouldn't count on it, he said,
with another flash of teeth. "Dr.
Toenjes is quite jealous of his the
cries, which I expect will produce
more and better fruit than Associat-
ed across the river"
AS Curt was turning this over in
his mind, Senior Montaya pulled at
his lower lip-a lip unusually red
even for his swarthy skin.
sit would be well for me to say
something now, Mr.. Curtis" he con-
tinued, his words falling precise and
clear. 81 have secured the best men
available for the salaries I can pay
in each line of work. All I ask of
each man is to produce results in
his own field. This is fair enough,
no? If problems arise which overlap
into another department, those prob
lens are taken up through my office.
I do not encourage short cuts be-
tween departments.
81 expect you to work along With
us in this fashion. You are RESPONSE
BILE for the engineering work as
signed to you, just as DR.. Toenjes
is responsible as Agricultural Super
intendent, just as Mr.. Lannestock is
responsible for aviation and Mr.. Ry-
den for transportation.
''Lannestock? Ryden?"
"Most of our contract employees
are Americans. These two are Swed-
ish. / brought them here as pilots.
But we no longer need two full-time
pilots. As Mr.. Ryden proved him
self capable in transportation mat
tiers, have given him charge of that
department.
Curt had ng-established habit
of fiddling with his pipe when null
ing over some point that needed
thought He suddenly discovered
he'd been stuffing it during this po-
lite harangue. Since the senior while
talking had been leading the way
into the open, Curt now Lit up, ex-
polling a huge cloud of smoke be-
fore ne said mildly, with smile:
GAN of which is by way of telling
me to mind my own business? Well,
that's all right. You've hired me
for the engineering end of your VEN
ture, and that's where my interest
lies. I'll try to curb my wandering
curiosity"
Senior Montaya eyed Curt a mo-
ment.