er-his eyes are furtive.] No, no! There,
there, stay quiet and warm. I won't be long, my girl.

MRS. ROBERTS. [With soft bitterness.] You'd better take it.

[She lifts the coat. But ROBERTS puts it back, and wraps it
round her. He tries to meet her eyes, but cannot. MRS.
ROBERTS stays huddled in the coat, her eyes, that follow him
about, are half malicious, half yearning. He looks at his watch
again, and turns to go. In the doorway he meets JAN THOMAS, a
boy of ten in clothes too big for him, carrying a penny
whistle.]

ROBERTS. Hallo, boy!

[He goes. JAN stops within a yard of MRS. ROBERTS, and stares
at her without a word.]

MRS. ROBERTS. Well, Jan!

JAN. Father 's coming; sister Madge is coming.

[He sits at the table, and fidgets with his whistle; he blows
three vague notes; then imitates a cuckoo.]

[There is a tap on the door. Old THOMAS comes in.]

THOMAS. A very coot tay to you, Ma'am. It is petter that you are.

MRS. ROBERTS. Thank you, Mr. Thomas.

THOMAS. [Nervously.] Roberts in?

MRS. ROBERTS. Just gone on to the meeting, Mr. Thomas.

THOMAS. [With relief, becoming talkative.] This is fery
unfortunate, look you! I came to tell him that we must make terms
with London. It is a fery great pity he is gone to the meeting. He
will be kicking against the pricks, I am thinking.

MRS. ROBERTS. [Half rising.] He'll never give in, Mr. Thomas.

THOMAS. You must not be fretting, that is very pat for you. Look
you, there iss hartly any mans for supporting him now, but the
engineers and George Rous. [Solemnly.] This strike is no longer
Going with Chapel, look you! I have listened carefully, an' I have
talked with her.

[JAN blows.]

Sst! I don't care what th' others say, I say that Chapel means us to
be stopping the trouple, that is what I make of her; and it is my
opinion that this is the fery best thing for all of us. If it was
n't my opinion, I ton't say but it is my opinion, look you.

MRS. ROBERTS. [Trying to suppress her excitement.] I don't know
what'll come to Roberts, if you give in.

THOMAS. It iss no disgrace whateffer! All that a mortal man coult
do he hass tone. It iss against Human Nature he hass gone; fery
natural any man may do that; but Chapel has spoken and he must not go
against her.

[JAN imitates the cuckoo.]

Ton't make that squeaking! [Going to the door.] Here is