"What about yourself, Bill?" spoke up several. "You'll do."
Pritchen made a pretence at remonstrating, but the words were drowned in the noise of the miners, who stamped, clapped, and shouted until the clamour was deafening.
"All right, then," he replied, when the tumult had subsided. "If you are as determined as that, I suppose I must act. Let us now get to work," he concluded, stepping down from the bench.
Keith had been thinking very seriously during all this time, and when Pritchen ended he lifted up his voice.
"Gentlemen, you have placed upon us a hard and important task, and as one of the Committee I wish to ask a few questions."
The men giving him respectful attention, he proceeded:
"Suppose one of us on the Committee should be the guilty person, what are we to do?"
"Choose another," came the reply.
"Is that the will of all?"
"Ay, ay."