“Hell! That’s baby-talk! We’ve got him up ag’inst the wall, and he can’t do a thing.”
“But he’s going to open up with scabs and strike-breakers.”
“Let him! They won’t last three days. We can hold out for ten. At the end of that time the strike’ll be won.”
“Bricky, you’re a fool. The men can’t hold out for ten days. They’re starving. It’s March. They’ll break away from us one by one. They’ll tumble over each other looking for their jobs. You won’t smash Dick Malleson, but you’ll smash the union.”
“I say we’ll smash Dick Malleson, and I know what I’m talkin’ about. I know the men. I know what they’ll stan’ for, and I know what they won’t stan’ for. Ten days turns the trick.”
“Bricky, I said you were a fool. I say, now, you’re a damned fool! The thing can’t be done. It’s impossible!”
Bricky did not grow angry at the denunciation. He smiled strangely and raised his voice but slightly as he replied:
“Look here, Steve. You made a fool of me once. That was when you got me into this thing. And old man Malleson made a fool of me once. That was yiste’day, when I went beggin’ to him as you told me to. They can’t neither of ye make a fool o’ me twice. I’m through with both o’ ye. I’m goin’ to smash Malleson now on me own account, for the things he said to me yiste’day. And as for you, Steve, you can go plumb to hell.”
Lamar started up from his chair.