"That's my business," he muttered.
"H-m. You two men were discharged because you were incompetent, because you were getting money you didn't earn and because you were trying to persuade others to be as worthless and useless as yourselves. You were ordered off the property——"
"Ye can't keep us off——"
"I'll come to that in a moment. What I want to say to you now is this," said Peter, planting his barbs with the coolness of a matador baiting his bull. "Some men go wrong because they've been badly advised, some because they can't think straight, others because they'd rather go wrong than right. Some of you 'Reds' believe in what you preach, that the world can be made over and all the money and the land divided up in a new deal. You two don't. You don't believe in anything except getting a living without working for it—and trying to make honest men do the same. You, Jacobi, are only a fool—a cowardly fool at that—who hides behind the coat-tails of a man stronger than you——"
"Look-a here, Mister——"
"Yes, Flynn's your master, but he isn't mine. And he isn't the master of any man on this job while I'm superintendent——"
"We'll see about that," said Flynn with a chuckle.
"Yes, we will. Very soon. Now, as a matter of fact——"
"How?"
"By proving which is the better man—you or me——"