t's what you think, is it, Gentles?" I said.

"Who? Me, mester? Oh, no: I'm only a pore hardworking chap who wants
to get back to his horse. It's what the other men say. For my part I
wishes as there was no unions, stopping a man's work and upsetting him;
that I do. Think the mesters'll give in, Mester Jacob, sir?"

"I'm sure they will not, Gentles," I said, "and you had better tell the
men so."

"Nay, I durstn't tell 'em. Oh, dear, no, Mester Jacob, sir. I'm a
quiet peaceable man, I am. I on'y wants to be let alone."

I went on, thinking, and had nearly reached the lane by the works, when
I met Pannell, who was smoking a short black pipe.

"Hello!" he cried.

"Hello! Pannell," I said.

"Goin' to open wucks, and let's get on again, lad?"

"Whenever you men like to bring back the bands and apologise, Pannell."

"Nay, I've got nowt to 'pologise for. I did my wuck, and on'y wanted to
be let alone."

"But you know who took the bands," I cried. "You know who tried to
poison our poor dog and tried to blow up the furnace, now don't you?"

He showed his great teeth as he looked full at me.

"Why, my lad," he said, "yow don't think I'm going to tell, do 'ee?"

"You ought to tell," I cried. "I'm sure you know; and it's a cowardly
shame."

"Ay, I s'pose that's what you think," he said quietly. "But, say, lad,
isn't it time wuck began again?"

"Time! Yes," I said. "Why don't you take our side, Pannell; my uncles
are your masters?"

"Ay, I know that, lad," said the big smith quietly; "but man can't do as
he likes here i' Arrowfield. Eh, look at that!"

"Well, mate," said a rough voice behind me; and I saw the smith start as
Stevens, the fierce grinder, came up, and without taking any notice of
me address the smith in a peculiar way, fixing him with his eye and
clapping him on the shoulder.

"Here, I want to speak wi' thee," he said sharply. "Coom and drink."

It seemed to me that he regularly took the big smith into custody, and
marched him off.

This set me thinking about how they must be all leagued together; but I
forgot all about the matter as I opened the gate, and Piter came
charging down at me, delighted to have company once more in the great
lonely works.

The next minute he was showing his intelligence by smelling the basket
as we walked up to the door together.

I gave him some of the contents to amuse him, and then entering the
deserted grinding-shop, walked straight to the do