“I have received their deputations civilly, and during the last week or two I’ve put up with a good deal. We pay standard wages and I don’t think there’s a man about the place who’s asked to do more than he’s able. But I can’t have these fellows dictating whom I shall employ!”
“You have some good orders on the books for delivery on a time limit,” Jevons reminded him. “You’ll lose pretty smartly if we have to stop the mill.”
“That’s the trouble,” Aynsley admitted. “I’d hate to lose the orders; but, on the other hand, I hired these Japs when I couldn’t get white men, and I promised their boss I’d keep them until we’d worked through the log boom.”
“You might call him up and ask what he’d take to quit. It might work out cheaper in the end.”
Aynsley pondered this. Though he had not suspected it until lately, he had inherited something of his father’s character. He had seldom thought much about money before he entered the mill, but since then he had experienced a curious satisfaction in seeing the balance to his credit mount up, and in calculating the profit on the lumber he cut. Now he found the suggestion that he should throw away part of his earnings frankly impossible. It was, however, not so much avarice as pride that influenced him. He had taken to business seriously, and he meant to show what he could do.
“No,” he said decidedly. “I don’t see why I should let the mob fine me for being honest. I’d rather fight, if I’m forced to; and I’m afraid you’ll have to stand in.”
Jevons laughed.
“I don’t know that I’m anxious to back out. I tried to show you the easiest way, as a matter of duty; but there’s a good deal to be said for the other course. I don’t think there are any union boys still in the mill, and my notion is that the rancher crowd don’t mean to quit.”
Labor had been scarce that year, and Aynsley had engaged a number of small ranchers and choppers, who, as often happens when wages are high, had come down from their homesteads in the bush. They were useful men, of determined character, and were content with their pay.
“Well,” he said, “we may as well ask what the Japs think of doing; but they’re stubborn little fellows, and seem to have some organization of their own. Anyway, they whipped the mob pretty badly in Vancouver a day or two ago.”