It was more than one day's work to bring them to this arrangement. So I made it another rule that when they differed they were never to answer back; but come to me to settle the trouble. That was rather more difficult to establish than the first, they were so hot-headed, and anxious to defend themselves.
O'Sullivan, one of the slide women, undertook to try my authority on the first order which I gave for coal. She sat idly upon her table, and I asked her to bring it up.
A scowl came over her face, she hesitated, and then answered,—
"She's just as well able to bring up the coal as I."
"That's so! that's so!" came from three or four other voices.
"Stop! every one! It is the order that Allen is not to bring up coal; you have nothing to say about it."
The others were silenced.
"O'Sullivan, will you bring up a bucket of coal?"
"I'm not going to bring up her coal; she's as well able to fetch it up as I."
"You will do just what I tell you! Go now and bring a bucket of coal!"