“He has come with his humble petition, father, backed up by Joe Jollivet and by me, for him to be taken on again at the mine.”
“No,” said the Colonel, frowning; “it’s impossible, my boy.”
“Beg pardon, sir, don’t say that,” said the man.
“I have said it, my man,” said the Colonel, firmly.
“But you’ll think better of it, sir. I’ll work hard for you.”
“No,” said the Colonel; “you had a fair chance here for doing well, and you failed. The men would be ready to strike if I took you on again.”
“Oh, but you’ve no call to listen to what a lot of men says.”
“I am bound to in a certain way, my man. You made yourself universally unpopular among them, and all that culminated in your savage assault upon the captain. Why, my good fellow, many a man has gone into penal servitude for less than that.”
“Yes, sir, I know I hit him; but they was all again’ me.”
“I cannot go into that,” said the Colonel.