They laughed at this remarkable pronouncement, but with an undernote of seriousness.
"No man, even exceptionally equipped as this young man seems to be," went on Coleman after a moment, "can accomplish that"—he snapped his fingers—"against organized forces such as those of 'Law and Order.'"
"We can't stand this sort of thing forever!" cried Hossfros hotly.
"It's getting worse and worse!"
"We probably shall not stand it forever," agreed Coleman equably, "but we are powerless—at present."
They looked toward him for explanation of this last.
"When the people at large find that they cannot stand it either, then we shall be no longer powerless. A single man can do something then—a single child!"
"What will happen then?" asked Munro. "Vigilantes? '51 again?"
Coleman, the leader of the Vigilantes of '51, turned on him a grave eye.
"God forbid! We were then a frontier community. We are now an organized, civilized city. We have rights and powers through the regular channels—at the ballot box for example."
Hossfros laughed skeptically.