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in farewell。
〃We shall expect you to come and see us to…night at the match；
remember； Captain Jack；〃 said Patricia； as he passed out of the
room。 〃Now be sure to go and have your sleep。〃
But there was no sleep that afternoon for Captain Jack。 On his way
through the town he was halted by McNish。
〃The boys want to see you；〃 he said briefly。
〃What boys？ What do you mean； McNish？〃
〃At the rooms。 Will you come down now？〃
〃Now？ I can't come now； McNish。 I have to be on the ice in three
hours and I must get a little rest。 What's up； anyway？ Tell them
I'll see them to…morrow。〃
〃No！ they want you now！〃 said McNish firmly。 〃I would advise that
you come。〃
〃What do you mean； McNish？ Well； get in here and I'll go to see
them。〃 McNish got into the car。 〃Now； what's all the mystery？〃
〃Better wait；〃 said McNish； grimly。
〃Well； it is a dog's trick；〃 said Maitland wrathfully； 〃to get on
to a chap before a big match like this。〃
In the Union Committee rooms a group of men were awaiting them；
among them Mr。 Wigglesworth and the little cockney who had made
himself so obnoxious at the public meeting。
〃What's all this tomfoolery； Wigglesworth？〃 demanded Captain Jack；
striding in among them。
〃（H）excuse me；〃 said the little cockney。 〃You are a member of the
Woodworkers' Union I （h）understand。〃
〃Who the devil are you； may I ask？〃 said Maitland in a rage。
〃（H）allow me；〃 said Mr。 Wigglesworth。 〃Mister Simmons； Mr。
MaitlandMr。 Simmons is our new secretary； （h）elected last
meetin'。〃
〃Well； what do you want of me？〃 demanded Maitland。 〃Don't you know
I am tied up this afternoon？〃
〃Tied （h）up？〃 asked Simmons coolly； 〃'ow？〃
〃With the match； confound you。〃
〃Oh； the match！ And w'at match may that be？ （H）Anythin' to do
with your Union？〃
Maitland glared at him； too dumfounded to speak。
〃You see； Mr。 Maitland；〃 began Mr。 Wigglesworth in a hurried and
apologetic manner。
〃'Ere！ you keep aht o' this；〃 said Simmons sharply； 〃this 'ere's my
job。 I shall tell Brother Maitland all that is necessary。〃
〃I was only going to （h）explain〃 began Mr。 Wigglesworth。
〃Naw then！ IS this your job or mine？ Was you （h）appointed or was
I？ When I find myself （h）unable to discharge my dooty to the Union
I might per'aps call on you； Brother Wigglesworth； but until I find
myself in that situation I 'ope you will refrain from shovin' in
your 'orn。〃 Brother Simmons' sarcasm appeared to wither Brother
Wigglesworth into silence。
〃Naw then； Brother Maitland； we shall get （h）on。〃
Maitland glanced round on the group of half a dozen men。 Some of
them he knew； others were strangers to him。
〃I don't know what the business is； gentlemen；〃 he said； curbing
his wrath； 〃but I want to know if it can't wait till to…morrow？
You know our boys are going on the ice in a couple of hours or so〃
〃Goin' on the （h）ice！ Goin' on the （h）ice！ W'at's that to do with
Union business？〃 snarled Simmons。 〃This 'ere's no silly kids'
gaime！ It's a man's work we ave in 'and； if you don't want to do
the business to w'ich you are （h）appointed w'y just say so and we
shall know 'ow to （h）act。 There 'as been too much o' this gaime
business to suit me。 If we are men let us （h）act like men。〃
〃Better get on wi' it；〃 said McNish curtly。
〃I shall get on w'en I am good and ready； Brother McNish；〃 answered
Simmons。
〃All r…r…right； brother； but A doot ye're oot o' order。 Who is the
chairman o' this Committee？〃 asked McNish calmly。
〃Brother Phillips；〃 answered two or three voices。
〃All right。 I suggest you proceed regularly and call the meeting
to order；〃 said McNish quietly。 Simmons； recognising that it was
Greek meeting Greek； agreed to this。
Clumsily and hesitatingly Brother Phillips began stating the
business of the Committee。 He had not gone far before Simmons
interrupted。
〃Mr。 Chairman； with your permission I would just like to say that
the resolution passed at the representative joint meetin' of the
Maitland Mills and Box Factory （h）employees last night will
sufficiently （h）explain the （h）object of this meetin' 'ere。〃
Brother Simmons' tone suggested infinite pity for the lumbering
efforts of the chairman。
〃Yes； I guess it will；〃 said the chairman； blushing in his
confusion。 Brother Phillips was new to his position and its
duties。
〃I would suggest that that resolution be read；〃 said Brother
Simmons； the pity in his tone hardly veiling his contempt。
〃Yes！ Yes！ Of course！〃 said Brother Phillips hurriedly。 〃Eh
would you please read it； Mr。that isBrother Simmons？〃
With great show of deliberation and of entire mastery of the
situation Mr。 Simmons produced a Minute Book and began：
〃Mr。 Chairman and brothers； I may say that this 'ere resolution was
passed at a joint representative meetin' of all the （h）employees of
the Maitland Company〃
〃There is no sich company； Mr。 Chairman；〃 said McNish。 〃A say let
us hear the resolution。 We'll hear the speech afterwards if we
must。〃 It was again Greek meeting Greek； and the little man turned
with a sarcastic smile to McNish。
〃I suppose Brother McNish is （h）anxious to get ready for this gaime
we've bin 'earing abaht。 I should just like to remind 'im that we
'ave a bigger gaime on 'and； if 'e wants to get into it。 Personally
I don't 'ave no use for these 'ere gaimes。 I 'ave seen the same
kind of capitalistic dodge to distract the workin' man's （h）attention
from 'is real gaime in life。 These circumventions〃
〃Maister Chair…r…man！ A rise〃
〃Mr。 Chairman； I 'ave the floor and if Brother McNish knows
（h）anythink abaht constitootional proceedin's〃
〃Maister Chair…r…manMaister…r Chair…r…r…man！〃 Brother McNish's
Doric was ominously rasping。 〃A rise tae a pint of or…r…de…r…r。
And Brother Simmons； who claims to be an expert in constitutional
law and procedure knows I have the floor。 Ma pint of order is
this； that there is no business before the meeting and as
apparently only aboot half the members are absent〃
〃And 'oo's fault is that？ 'E was to get them 'isself；〃 shouted Mr。
Simmons。
〃A searched the toon for them but cudna find them； but as A was
sayin'as the secretary has no business tae bring before the
meeting but a wheen havers； A move we adjourn tae tomorrow at 12：30
p。 m。 in this place； and I believe that as Brither Maitland is also
a member o' this committee he will second the motion。〃
Maitland； not knowing in the least what the whole thing was about；
but seeing a way out of the present mix…up； promptly seconded the
motion。
〃Mr。 Chairman！〃 shouted Simmons。 〃I am prepared to〃
〃Maister Chair…r…man； A need not remind you that there is no
discussion on a motion to adjourn。〃
〃That is quite right；〃 said the chairman； in whose memory by some
obscure mental process this fact seemed to have found a lodging。
〃It is moved that this committee do now adjourn。〃
〃Mr。 Chairman！ I protest；〃 shrieked Brother Simmons frantically。
〃Ay； he's a grand protester！〃 said Brother McNish。
The motion was carried by a majority of one； Brothers Wigglesworth；
McNish and Maitland voting in the affirmative。
〃Traitors！〃 shrieked Brother Simmons。 〃Capitalistic trait