“Theer,” cried Sim, “the deppitation says as it isn’t.”
“Look here, men,” cried Joe Banks, speaking excitedly, “I come here to-night to join you. You wanted me wi’ you before, but I wouldn’t come, because I was in the cause o’ raight. I wouldn’t gi’e up my position as a straightforward man for to faight for a few beggarly shillings a week.”
There were some murmurs of discontent here, but the foreman did not seem to hear them, and went on.
“The side of raight is the side of raight no longer, and I’m wi’ you, for I’ll work no more for one who has done me as great a wrong as he can do.”
“He hev, Joe Banks, he hev, and we’ll let him know it,” cried several.
“No, no,” cried Banks; “no more attacks on him; we’ve had enew o’ that. Strike him through his pocket; let him feel it where we’ve felt it; but mind this, the lad as raises hand again the house where them two women are, raises it again me.”
Amidst the loud cheering that followed, Sim Slee, who would not be repressed, climbed upon the table in front of his chair, shouting—
“He’s roused at last, lads. He’s a-takking the iron foot of the despot from his brow, and come to straike for freedom.”
There was a loud cheer at this, and Sim’s vanity was gratified.
“Now,” cried Banks, “what are you going to do? You’ve got some plans?”