“Get out all the staff, Meyers, and you, Atkinson, all the foremen and sober men left, then go down the road and put that joint out of business, taking axes and whatever is necessary.”
“And if they fight?” Meyers asked.
“Try first to placate them. If that fails, some of you draw them off in order to permit the others to enter the house and destroy the whiskey. It’s a tough job, but you may succeed. If the crowd turns ugly as it may, being drunk, come back. No need to take the risk of broken heads or being beaten up. See, however, if you can’t outwit the outfit. Possibly you could push that mud house over from the rear by means of a beam; that would do the business. I leave it to you to decide what’s best to do, men, after you’ve examined the situation.”
“The camp will be unguarded except for you and the two men with you,” Weir’s assistant suggested. “If the crowd drinking down at that place should take the 239 notion to come here and tear things up, there would be nothing to hinder them. A few should stay, anyway, I imagine––half a dozen, who can use guns.”
“Well, pick out six to remain,” the other agreed.
For Meyers’ suggestion had raised a disagreeable possibility. It was never safe to ignore precautions when a gang of two or three hundred rough, active laborers, however loyal when sober, were made irresponsible and crazy by liquor; and one stage of drunkenness in such men was usually manifested in a wild desire for violence. The scheme of Weir’s enemies might comprise using this very act for wrecking the camp.
Six men, to be sure, would offer little resistance to stemming the movement once it was started, but the sight of steel in the guards’ hands might cause even a reckless mob to pause long enough for an appeal. If the men should be brought to listen, they could probably be diverted from their purpose, as impassioned crowds are easily swayed by men of force.
In any case the camp and dam should be defended to the last. That went without saying.
Meyers and Atkinson had little more than departed with their muster of engineers, foremen and sober workmen, some fifty in all, when the two cars driven by Dr. Hosmer and Janet arrived at headquarters. To the occupants of both machines the camp appeared singularly dark and silent, the office building and the commissary shack alone showing lights.
The four visitors entered the main room in the former building, where they found Mr. Pollock and Martinez.