“They'll stop the drink business altogether some day,” he said. He had not known that he was a Prohibitionist; he had become one suddenly!
“Well,” she answered, “they'd best stop it soon, if they don't want to be too late. 'Tis a sight to make your heart sick to see the young lads comin' home staggerin', too drunk even to fight.”
Hal had not had time to see much of this aspect of North Valley. “They sell to boys?” he asked.
“Sure, who's to care? A boy's money's as good as a man's.”
“But I should think the company—”
“The company lets the saloon-buildin'—that's all the company cares.”
“But they must care something about the efficiency of their hands!”
“Sure, there's plenty more where they come from. When ye can't work, they fire ye, and that's all there is to it.”
“And is it so easy to get skilled men?”
“It don't take much skill to get out coal. The skill is in keepin' your bones whole—and if you can stand breakin' 'em, the company can stand it.”