Earl and his father got on their hands and knees. They crawled into the room where they worked. Their picks and shovels stood against the wall, ready to be used.
The two men began to shovel coal into the first car. They always worked at a certain speed. As Earl’s father shoveled the coal, he suddenly changed that speed. He started to shovel the coal very fast – much faster than ever.
At first Earl didn’t realize that it was a contest. He thought that his father was just taking out his anger on the coal. Earl had to work very fast to keep up with his father. They quickly filled the first car. Then they released the brake and pushed the car. The car moved down the track.
They pulled another empty coal car into the room. They again loaded it very quickly. Then the father shouted for more empty cars.