t
inspiration; it was the clanging of Uncle Howroyd's bell. Why don't you
do the same thing?' inquired Sarah.

'Do what?' demanded George, who did not think much of this inspiration.

'Ring the bell--the big bell, I mean--to call the hands in, just as if
nothing had happened,' urged Sarah.

'Nothing would happen if I did, except that we should have a gaping crowd
round the gate, and the fire-brigade coming to see if we had a fire. So,
if that's your inspiration, I'm inclined to agree with you that my
waiting for it has been useless,' returned George.

'I wish you'd try, George. I believe the hands would all come back, and
we should get the contract done after all,' persisted Sarah. 'They looked
at me in quite a friendly way as I passed, and lots of the men touched
their hats, a thing they never did before.'

George hesitated. 'But I don't feel that I could take them back again,'
he said.

'Then what do you mean to do? You can't run the mills with new hands,'
she protested.

'No; but I can't take back the men who have destroyed our property,' he
declared.

'They are, or soon will be, taken up; so they won't apply,' began Sarah,
when her brother interrupted her.

'Sarah,' he cried with sudden vigour, 'you have inspired me after all! I
will have the bell rung, and when the people come, as some are sure to
come, out of curiosity, I will make them a speech, and explain that
those whom my father dismissed are still dismissed, but that the rest I
shall be glad to have back. I'll speak to the manager, and see what he
thinks.'

The manager and Ben looked admiringly at George.

'There's pluck for you! Let's hope it will be rewarded. At any rate, we
can but try,' they said; and they gave orders for the big mills-bell to
be rung, and the few faithful ones stood in the yard, making a kind of
bodyguard round George, and waited for the curious crowd to arrive.

Sarah watched from the office window, and her eyes shone with excitement
as she heard the sound of clogs and many footsteps coming down the
street. 'I was right' she cried. 'It's our old hands! I knew they'd
come.'

And they did come, till the mill-yard was packed, and then George made
them a speech.

'My father is stricken down by the misdeeds of some of his former
employes, and in his absence I am going, with the help of my good friends
here, to run my father's mills. Those of you who voluntarily left his
employ are welcome to return to it; those he dischar