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rhythmical； and it had been intolerable； but now； on the afternoon of the
fourth day of his return； he was accompanying the swing and clash of the
metals with jubilant vaquero fragments； mingling improvisations of his own
among them； and mocking the zinc…eater's crash with vocal imitations：
Fearless and bold； Chang！ Bash！ Behold！ With a leap from the ground To the
saddle in a bound； And awayand away！ Hi…YAY！ WHO looks a chang； chang； bash；
crash； bang！ WHO cares a dash how you bash and you crash？ NIGHT'S on the way
EACH time I say； Hi…YAY！ Crash； chang！ Bash； chang！ Chang； bang； BANG！
The long room was ceaselessly thundering with metallic sound； the air was
thick with the smell of oil； the floor trembled perpetually； everything was
implacably in motionnowhere was there a rest for the dizzied eye。 The first
time he had entered the place Bibbs had become dizzy instantly； and six months
of it had only added increasing nausea to faintness。 But he felt neither now。
〃ALL DAY LONG I'LL SEND MY THOUGHTS TO YOU。 YOU MUST KEEP REMEMBERING THAT
YOUR FRIEND STANDS BESIDE YOU。〃 He saw her there beside him； and the greasy；
roaring place became suffused with radiance。 The poet was happy in his
machine…shop； he was still a poet there。 And he fed his old zinc…eater； and
sang：
Awayand away！ Hi…YAH！ Crash； bash； crash； bash； CHANG！ Wild are his eyes；
Fiercely he dies！ Hi…YAH！ Crash； bash； bang！ Bash； CHANG！ Ready to fling Our
gloves in the ring
He was unaware of a sensation that passed along the lines of workmen。 Their
great master had come among them； and they grinned to see him standing with
Dr。 Gurney behind the unconscious Bibbs。 Sheridan nodded to those nearest
himhe had personal acquaintance with nearly all of them but he kept his
attention upon his son。 Bibbs worked steadily； never turning from his
machine。 Now and then he varied his musical programme with remarks addressed
to the zinc…eater。
〃Go on； you old crash…basher！ Chew it up！ It's good for you； if you don't
try to bolt your vittles。 Fletcherize； you pig！ That's right YOU'LL never
get a lump in your gizzard。 Want some more？ Here's a nice； shiny one。〃
The words were indistinguishable； but Sheridan inclined his head to Gurney's
ear and shouted fiercely： 〃Talkin' to himself！ By George！〃
Gurney laughed reassuringly； and shook his head。
Bibbs returned to song：
Chang！ Chang； bash； chang！ It's I！ WHO looks a mustang in the eye？ Fearless
and bo
His father grasped him by the arm。 〃Here！〃 he shouted。 〃Let ME show you how
to run a strip through there。 The foreman says you're some better'n you used
to be； but that's no way to handleGet out the way and let me show you once。〃
〃Better be careful；〃 Bibbs warned him； stepping to one side。
〃Careful？ Boh！〃 Sheridan seized a strip of zinc from the box。 〃What you
talkin' to yourself about？ Tryin' to make yourself think you're so abused
you're goin' wrong in the head？〃
〃'Abused'？ No！〃 shouted Bibbs。 〃I was SINGINGbecause I 'like it'！ I told
you I'd come back and 'like it。'〃
Sheridan may not have understood。 At all events； he made no reply； but began
to run the strip of zinc through the machine。 He did it awkwardly and with
bad results。
〃Here！〃 he shouted。 〃This is the way。 Watch how I do it。 There's nothin' to
it； if you put your mind on it。〃 By his own showing then his mind was not
upon it。 He continued to talk。 〃All you got to look out for is to keep it
pressed over to〃
〃Don't run your hand up with it；〃 Bibbs vociferated； leaning toward him。
〃Run nothin'！ You GOT to〃
〃Look out！〃 shouted Bibbs and Gurney together； and they both sprang forward。
But Sheridan's right hand had followed the strip too far； and the zinc…eater
had bitten off the tips of the first and second fingers。 He swore vehemently；
and wrung his hand； sending a shower of red drops over himself and Bibbs； but
Gurney grasped his wrist； and said； sharply：
〃Come out of here。 Come over to the lavatory in the office。 Bibbs； fetch my
bag。 It's in my machine； outside。〃
And when Bibbs brought the bag to the washroom he found the doctor still
grasping Sheridan's wrist； holding the injured hand over a basin。 Sheridan had
lost color； and temper； too。 He glared over his shoulder at his son as the
latter handed the bag to Gurney。
〃You go on back to your work；〃 he said。 〃I've had worse snips than that from
a pencil…sharpener。〃
〃Oh no； you haven't！〃 said Gurney。
〃I have； too！〃 Sheridan retorted； angrily。 〃Bibbs； you go on back to your
work。 There's no reason to stand around here watchin' ole Doc Gurney tryin'
to keep himself awake workin' on a scratch that only needs a little
court…plaster。 I slipped； or it wouldn't happened。 You get back on your
job。〃
〃All right；〃 said Bibbs。
〃HERE！〃 Sheridan bellowed； as his son was passing out of the door。 〃You
watch out when you're runnin' that machine！ You hear what I say？ I slipped；
or I wouldn't got scratched； but youYOU'RE liable to get your whole hand cut
off！ You keep your eyes open！〃
〃Yes； sir。〃 And Bibbs returned to the zinc…eater thoughtfully。
Half an hour later； Gurney touched him on the shoulder and beckoned him
outside； where conversation was possible。 〃I sent him home； Bibbs。 He'll
have to be careful of that hand。 Go get your overalls off。 I'll take you for
a drive and leave you at home。〃
〃Can't；〃 said Bibbs。 〃Got to stick to my job till the whistle blows。〃
〃No； you don't；〃 the doctor returned； smothering a yawn。 〃He wants me to take
you down to my office and give you an overhauling to see how much harm these
four days on the machine have done you。 I guess you folks have got that old
man pretty thoroughly upset； between you； up at your house！ But I don't need
to go over you。 I can see with my eyes half shut〃
〃Yes；〃 Bibbs interrupted； 〃that's what they are。〃
〃I say I can see you're starting out； at least； in good shape。 What's made
the difference？〃
〃I like the machine；〃 said Bibbs。 〃I've made a friend of it。 I serenade it
and talk to it； and then it talks back to me。〃
〃Indeed； indeed？ What does it say？〃
〃What I want to hear。〃
〃Well； well！〃 The doctor stretched himself and stamped his foot repeatedly。
〃Better come along and take a drive with me。 You can take the time off that
he allowed for the examination； and〃
〃Not at all；〃 said Bibbs。 〃I'm going to stand by my old zinc…eater till five
o'clock。 I tell you I LIKE it！〃
〃Then I suppose that's the end of your wanting to write。〃
〃I don't know about that；〃 Bibbs said； thoughtfully； 〃but the zinc…eater
doesn't interfere with my thinking； at least。 It's better than being in
business； I'm sure of that。 I don't want anything to change。 I'd be content
to lead just the life I'm leading now to the end of my days。〃
〃You do beat the devil！〃 exclaimed Gurney。 〃Your father's right when he tells
me you're a mystery。 Perhaps the Almighty knew what He was doing when He made
you； but it takes a lot of faith to believe it！ Well； I'm off。 Go on back to
your murdering old machine。〃 He climbed into his car； which he operated
himself； but he refrained from setting it immediately in motion。 〃Well； I
rubbed it in on the old man that you had warned him not to slide his hand
along too far； and that he got hurt because he didn't pay attention to your
warning； and because he was trying to show you how to do something you were
already doing a great deal better than he could。 You tell him I'll be around
to look at it and change the dressing to…morrow morning。 Good…by。〃
But when he paid the promised visit； the next morning； he did more than change
the dressing upon the damaged hand。 The injury was severe of its kind； and
Gurney spent a long time over it； though Sheridan was rebellious and scornful；
being brought to a degree of tractability only by means of horrible threats
and talk of amputation。 However； he appeared at the dinner…table with his
hand supported in a sling； which he seemed to regard as an indignity； while
the natural inquiries upon the subject evidently struck him as deliberate
insults。 Mrs。 Sheridan； having been unable to contain her solicitude several
times during the day； and having been checked each time in a manner that
blanched her cheek； hastened to warn Roscoe and Sibyl； upon their arrival at
five； to omit any reference to the injury and to avoid even looking at the
sling if they possibly could。
The Sheridans dined on Sundays at five。 Sibyl had taken pains not to arrive
either before or after the hand was precisely on the hour； and the members of
the family were all seated at the table within two minutes after she and
Roscoe had entered the house。
It was a glum gathering； overhung with portents。 The air seemed charged；
awaiting any tiny ignition to explode； and Mrs。 Sheridan's expressi