Dan turned as Ty walked into the room. "Nosir, just getting to know the boy. I wanted to see what he was being taught. Schooling is as important as what he's learning about the mining business. Had to be a mining engineer if you can't read or understand your numbers."
"We get to them three R's ever day, twice a day at least," Ty stated, a note of pride in his voice. "He's coming along, almost more'n I can teach, but then Hank Brimly, an' Ol' Apgar, the lend a hand, and then there's Ambrose Pierce who drops in on occasion to oversee what all the boy's takin' in."
"And all of that's good, especially Pierce. The man has a degree, and that helps out a lot. Now Rip here, and I will get into the written test after I have the opportunity to see what he has learned so far. You won't see me, but I'll be around, and what I'm looking for will be something more than how you handle yourself with the men and with the job. You needn't be perfect because no one is; you just have to do the best you can. If you pass the test, I'll make you better at what you do; that is my promise to you.
Storyteller / Shared NPC
"I know Ambrose Pierce, and the man is an asset to this community with what he knows about mining, and about assaing. I mean, word is about gold, there's no way to keep gold a secret, no matter how hard folks try. Now, about this young man here, what is his background with mining?" Dan asked.
"He has none but what he's gathered here. His parents and his sister were murdered. I happened upon him, and we just sort of stuck together, then Mister Guyer offered me a job here, and well, here we are. Of course, there's Brimly, Sykes, and Apgar who have takin' a likin' to the boy, and started teachin' him. Ty explained.
"You got three of the best copper men I know of, and I can tell you this, if they didn't see talent, they wouldn't bother," Dan told them.
"I got to get back to town, but I want to know how all this turns out." Speed said. There were farewells as the Marshal walked out the door, Dan smiling,
"Alright then, time to get down to business. Maybe two hours or better, a hundred fifty questions, and a couple of essay questions to boot. Are you ready Rip?" Dan asked, "I'm sure you boys got something to do."
"Yes, sir, I'm ready to tackle this."Rip answered, the men, Ty, and all left the building.
Dan brought out the papers, a number of them from his leather case, and set them on the table in front of Ty. All right, Rip, my boy, best of luck. Write the answers in your own words as simply as you can." And then he took a seat, looking at his pocket watch, "You may begin."
Storyteller / Shared NPC
Dan got to his feet and went to the door, then stepped outside, closing the door behind him. Ty and the others had not gone far, and Dan had expected that; it was common. The men standing there, though, were exceptional mining men, and he respected them, having worked with each of them over the years in countless boomtowns/
It was Ty who would ask the first question, "So Dan, where do we go from here? I mean, after the testing is done? Do we correct it here?"
"No, we don't. I head down to Deer Lodge for the last of those that is getting tested, same as Rip. And, like I did while I was here, I'll correct Rip's test while I'm there, then home to Great Falls, where I'll send out the letters with the results to let them know if they have been accepted to all of those I've tested. TGhere's six in all. Two have been tested before, but they weren't ready, so they tested again. And they can continue to test so long as they want."
"So maybe he don't make it this time? He can test again?"
"Yep, Ty, as long as he wants. He's sharp as a tack, that one. Ready won't be his problem, if there is one. I can't say how the test will go, it's seldom like we think it will turn out, but this one, this one is different, I'll say that." He smiled then, got to finish up with some paperwork." And then he walked away.
The miners and ty watched Dan Lourds as he moved off toward the tent where he slept, and then they each drifted off to different parts of the property. Ty busied himself with things that needed doing. Speed had long since left for town while young Rip tackled questions.
