Part 4 (1/2)
”I ken for yae thing that there's fower places staunin' in Millar's Level,” said Jamie Lauder, ”an' I'm telt there's five or six staunin' in the Black Horse Dook. It's a' a bit of humbug, an' I think we should try an' put an end to it.”
”Weel, I think we're a' agreed on that,” said Tam Tate. ”Has ony o' you onything to suggest?”
For a few minutes there was silence, while they sat or stood deep in thought, trying to find a solution. It was an eerie gathering, with the gray dawn just beginning to break, while on every head the indispensable lamp burned and flickered. Men expectorated savagely upon the ground, staring hard at the stones at their feet, thinking and wondering how they might serve their comrades.
”It's about time we had a union,” said one.
”Ay,” replied another, ”so that some bigmouthed idiot can pocket the money an' get a guid saft job oot o' it.”
”We've had plenty of unions,” put in another. ”The last yin we started here--ye mind Bob Ritchie gaed aff to America wi' a' the money. It was a fine go for him!”
”Oh, ay, but let us see what can be done wi' this case,” said Jamie Lauder. ”Hoo' wad it do if we appointed a deputation to gang an' lay the hale thing afore Mr. Rundell?”
Jamie was always listened to with the respect due to his proved good sense, for everyone knew that he was a man who would not intentionally hurt a fellow creature by word or deed.
”I believe it wad be a guid plan,” agreed Tam Tate. ”He maybe disna ken the hauf that gangs on. What do ye a' think o' it, men?”
This was before the days of limited companies and coal syndicates, and the proprietor of the pits in Lowwood, Mr. Rundell, lived about two miles out of the village. He was not a bad man, as men go; he was fiery and quick-tempered, but had a not ungenerous nature withal, and was usually susceptible to a reasoned statement. Just as they were about to decide on a course of action, Andrew spoke: ”I dinna want ony mair o' ye than can be helped to get into bother, so, if ye like, Jamie Lauder--if he's agreeable--could gang wi' me and Geordie Sinclair, and we'll put the hale case afore him an' see what he mak's o't.”
This was received with approval, and it was agreed that Andrew, Jamie and Geordie should form the deputation.
But Black Jock soon heard of the decision, and, as usual, acted with alacrity; for, had the men only known it, they had decided on a course which he did not want them to adopt. He visited Jamie Lauder, and told him that the day before Rundell and he had agreed that the places in the Black Horse Dook should be started at once, and that he was angry at the course taken by the men. He believed that Mr. Rundell would also be very angry, and if only Andrew and Geordie had come to him the night before, they could have been working that day. He represented Rundell as being in an explosive mood, and that he was furious at the men taking the idle day, and that he had threatened that if they were not at work next day, he would lock them out. So plausibly did he speak, and so sincere did his concern appear, that Jamie, who was withal a simple man, and aware that the circ.u.mstances of his comrades would not admit of a very long fight, began to think it might be as Black Jock had said.
”I think ye'd better ca' a meetin' o' the men, Jamie, and put the hale case afore them. Let them ken that Rundell decided just yesterday to start the places, and that Andra and Geordie can start the morn. I ha'e no ill wull at ony o' the twa o' them, and I'm vexed that things ha'e been as bad as they've been, but I couldna get the boss to start the places, and what could I do? They can a' be back at their work the morn if they like to look at it reasonably. Of course, ye can please yersel',” he went on, ”it's a' yin to me; but if Rundell tak's it into his head to ha'e a fight, well--ye ken what it means, an' I wouldna like to ha'e ony strife the noo', for times are very hard for us a'.”
Simple and honest as Jamie was, Black Jock's plausibility appealed to him, and he began to think that Walker perhaps was not so bad as he was made to appear. Again, Jamie knew that Rundell was a man of hasty temper and impulsive judgments, and could not brook trouble, and he began to think that perhaps it might be better to hold the meeting as suggested and tell the men what he had heard, and appeal to them to go back to work.
”All right,” he said to Walker, ”I'll call a meeting to-night and put the case as you have said, and ask them to go back. But mind, you've not to go back on your promise. You'll have to start Andrew and Geordie within twa days, or the men will no' continue to work. Mind, I'm taking a lot on myself to do this, and you'll have to carry out your part and start them.”
”I'll fill my part, never fear,” was the answer, and there was relief in Walker's voice. ”See, there's my hand,” he said, extending a big black limb as he spoke, first spitting on his palm to ensure due solemnity.
”There's no dryness about that, Jamie. I mean it. I'll start Geordie and Andrew all right. You get the men to go back to work to-morrow, for I'm afraid Rundell will make trouble if you remain idle anither day. Noo' I promise.” And Jamie took the extended hand in token of the bargain and returned to summon the meeting, which was duly held, and, as Walker had antic.i.p.ated, the men were appeased, and returned to work the next day.
Sure enough, within two days Andrew Marshall and Geordie Sinclair were both started to work, and matters went smoothly for a time.
But though they had had a lesson, it did not stop their activities as agitators for the establishment of a union, for they knew that there was no protection for any of them if they remained unorganized.
”Men never were meant to work and live as colliers do,” said Geordie, thoughtfully. ”Life should be good, and free, and happy, with comfort and enjoyment for all. Look at the birds--they are happy! So are the flowers, or they wouldn't look so pleased. G.o.d meant a' men and weemin to be glad, even though they have to work. But hoo' the h.e.l.l can folk be happy and wors.h.i.+p G.o.d on two and sixpence a day? It's all wrong, Andrew, an' I'll never believe that men were meant to live as we live.”
”That's true, Geordie,” agreed Andrew soberly. ”I only wish we could get everybody to see it as we see it. There's plenty for a' G.o.d's creatures--enough to make everybody happy, an' there need be no ill-will in the world, if only common-sense was applied to things; but I'm d.a.m.n'd if I can see where even the men can be happy who are making their money oot o' our lives. They're bound to ken surely that what comes from misery can not make happiness for them.”
”True, Andrew, true, and we maun just go on working for it. Sometimes I have the feeling that we are on the point of big changes: just as if the folk would awaken up oot o' their ignorance, with love in their hearts, an' make all things right for everybody. A world o' happiness for everybody is worth workin' for. So we maun gang on.”
And so they talked of their dreams and felt the better for it.
CHAPTER IV
A YOUNG REBEL
About two years after these events little Robert Sinclair went to school. It was a fine morning in late spring, and Robert trudged the seemingly long road, clasping an elder brother's hand, for the school lay about a mile to the north-west of the village, and that seemed to the boy a very long way.