cooking for us on the stove, but we'll have to wait till he turns
it into the dish. He ain't as dangerous as he thinks he is."

"He's been around to see me lately--twice."

"He has! What did he want with you? When was it he came?"

"The first time about a week ago. That was nothing but a little friendly
talk, but--"

"Friendly! Him! What did he have to say?"

"Why, it was nothing. I don't remember. He wanted to know if I was laid
off, and I told him I was on the night shift."

"Was that all?"

"Pretty near. He wanted to know what we was in such a hurry about, working
nights, and I said we had to be through by January first. Then he said he
supposed it must be for some rich man who didn't care how much it cost
him; and I said yes, it was. That was all. He didn't mean nothing. We were
just passing the time of day. I don't see any harm in that."

Bannon was leaning on the rail, his face away from Peterson. After a while
he spoke thoughtfully. "Well, that cinches it. I guess he meant to hold us
up, anyway, but now he knows we're a good thing."

"How's that? I don't see," said Peterson; but Bannon made no reply.

"What did he have to offer the next time he came around? More in the same
friendly way? When was it?"

"Just this afternoon. Why, he said he was afraid we'd have a strike on our
hands."

"He ought to know," said Bannon. "Did he give any reason?"

"Yes, he did. You won't mind my speaking it right out, I guess. He said
the men didn't like you, and if you wasn't recalled they'd likely strike.
He said they'd work under me if you was recalled, but he didn't think he
could keep 'em from going out if you stayed. That ain't what I think, mind
you; I'm just telling you what he said. Then he kind of insinuated that I
ought to do something about it myself. That made me tired, and I told him
to come to you about it. I said you was the boss here now, and I was only
the foreman of the night shift."

Until that last sentence Bannon had been only half listening. He made no
sign, indeed, of having heard anything, but stood hacking at the pine
railing with his pocket-knife. He was silent so long that at last Peterson
arose to go. Bannon shut his knife and wheeled around to face him.

"Hold on, Pete," he said. "We'd better talk this business out right here."

"Talk out what?"

"Oh, I guess you know. Why don't we pull together better? What is it
you're sore about?"

"Nothing. You don't need to worry about it."