e Union to strike, but no man or Union had the
right to starve their fellow-beings; he spoke of the unreasonableness
of this strike--the company here was not to blame for the troubles in
Colorado; he reminded them that the times were hard and the cities
crowded with idle men, yet the company had kept them busy and given
them full wages; he urged them, if they must demand more, to go on
with work and send a committee to present their claims to the
directors.

Cheers and hisses grew louder and louder as he spoke. The storm grew
fiercer and fiercer. Job saw it was of no use. A dozen voices were
yelling, "On with the strike! Starve 'em out!" Someone--could it be
Dan?--shouted:

"Hang the hypocrite!--coming here advising his betters! String him
up!"

A loud hubbub followed. Job breathed a deep, silent prayer and stood
firm. A tall, brawny man clambered up beside him and cried, as he
brandished a pistol:

"Death to any mon that touches the kid! May all the saints keep him!"

Tim's father meant business. And through the angry mob he steered Job
back to the office in safety.

When the supper was handed in at six, the men who brought it said that
would be the last food till they signed the paper; the miners had
voted to starve them out.

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE RACE WITH DEATH.

"Job, you'll have to go. No one knows this country as you do, and no
one can do it but you."

It was the superintendent speaking. Huddled in a group the little
company sat in the dark, looking death in the face. Surrender, death,
or outside help, were the only alternatives. They could keep from
starvation for a day more on the provisions they had. Someone must go
through the lines and get help. They had decided that it was useless
to call on the sheriff, for he could never raise a posse large enough
to cope with this mob, now armed and well prepared. Troop A was on
duty near Wawona, guarding the Yosemite Reservation. Someone must go
and notify them, and telegraph to the Secretary of War and get orders
for them to come to the relief of the besieged men. It was a
dangerous undertaking. Even if one could pass through the line around
the office, would he ever be able to get through the streets alive?
And then would he ever get past the outer picket?

Someone must take the risk. Someone must go, and perhaps die for the
others. One of the clerks said he guessed Job was the best prepared.
The superintendent urged him to go. Finally rising, J