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luctant to interfere; for obvious reasons; but was; at last; prevailed on to examine the minute…books of those two Unions; and they certainly do prove that on the very evening before the explosion; those trades had fully discussed Mr。 's case〃 (the real name was put; but altered by the editor); 〃and had disposed of it as follows。 They agreed; and this is entered accordingly; to offer him his traveling expenses (first class) to London; and one pound per week; from their funds; until such time as he should obtain employment。 I will only add; that both these secretaries spoke kindly to me of Mr。 ; and; believing them to be sincere; I ventured to advise them to mark their disapproval of the criminal act; by offering him two pounds per week; instead of one pound; which advice they have accepted very readily。〃
Henry was utterly confounded by these letters。
Holdfast commented on them thus:
〃Messrs。 Jobson and Parkin virtually say that if A; for certain reasons; pushes a man violently out of Hillsborough; and B draws him gently out of Hillsborough for the same reasons; A and B can not possibly be co…operating。 Messrs。 Parkin and Jobson had so little confidence in this argument; which is equivalent to saying there is no such thing as cunning in trade; that they employed a third party to advance it with all the weight of his popularity and seeming impartiality。 But who is this candid person that objects to assume the judge; and assumes the judge? He is the treasurer and secretary of an Union that does not number three hundred persons; yet in that small Union; of which he is dictator; there has been as much rattening; and more shooting; and blowing…up wholesale and retail; with the farcical accompaniment of public repudiation; than in all the other Unions put together。 We consider the entrance of this ingenuous personage on the scene a bad omen; and shall watch all future proceedings with increased suspicion。〃
Henry had hardly done reading this; when a man came into the works; and brought him his fifteen pounds back from Mr。 Jobson; and a line; offering him his expenses to London; and two pounds per week; from the Edge…Tool Forgers' box; till he should find employment。 Henry took his money; and sent back word that the proposal came too late; after the dastardly attempt to assassinate him; he should defy the Unions; until they accepted his terms。 Jobson made no reply。 And Henry defied the Unions。
The Unions lay still; like some great fish at the bottom of a pool; and gave no sign of life or animosity。 This did not lull Henry into a false security。 He never relaxed a single precaution。 He avoided 〃Woodbine Villa;〃 he dodged and doubled like a hare; to hide his own abode。 But he forged; handled; and finished; in spite of the Unions。
The men were civil to him in the yard; and he had it all his own way; apparently。
He was examined by a surgeon; and reported healthy。 He paid the insurance premium; and obtained the policy。 So now he felt secure; under the aegis of the Press; and the wing of the〃 Gosshawk。〃 By… and…by; that great fish I have mentioned gave a turn of its tail; and made his placid waters bubble a little。
A woman came into the yard; with a can of tea for her husband; and a full apron。 As she went out; she emptied a set of tools out of her apron on to an old grindstone; and slipped out。
The news of this soon traveled into the office; and both Cheetham and Bayne came out to look at them。
They were a set of carving…tools; well made; and highly polished; and there was a scrap of paper with this distich:
〃We are Hillsborough made; Both haft and blade。〃
Cheetham examined them; and said; 〃Well; they are clever fellows。 I declare these come very near Little's: call him down and let us draw him。〃
Bayne called to Henry; and that brought him down; and several more; who winded something。
〃Just look at these;〃 said Cheetham。
Little colored: he saw the finger of the Unions at once; and bristled all over with caution and hostility。
〃I see them; sir。 They are very fair specimens of cutlery; and there are only about twenty tools wanting to make a complete set; but there is one defect in them as carving…tools。〃
〃What is that?〃
〃They are useless。 You can't carve wood with them。 None but a practical carver can design these tools; and then he must invent and make the steel molds first。 Try and sell them in London or Paris; you'll soon find the difference。 Mr。 Bayne; I wonder you should call me from my forge to examine 'prentice…work。〃 And; with this; he walked off disdainfully; but not quite easy in his mind; for he had noticed a greedy twinkle in Cheetham's eye。
The next day all the grinders in Mr。 Cheetham's employ; except the scissors…grinders; rose; all of a sudden; like a flock of partridges; and went out into the road。
〃What is up now?〃 inquired Bayne。 The answer was; their secretaries had sent for them。
They buzzed in the road; for a few minutes; and then came back to work。
At night there was a great meeting at the 〃Cutlers' Arms;〃 kept by Mr。 Grotait。
At noon the next day; all the grinders aforesaid in Mr。 Cheetham's employ walked into the office; and left; each of them; a signed paper to this effect:
〃This is to give you notice that I will leave your service a week after the date thereof。〃 (Meaning 〃hereof;〃 I presume。)
Cheetham asked several of them what was up。 Some replied civilly; it was a trade matter。 Others suggested Mr。 Cheetham knew as much about it as they did。
Not a single hot or uncivil word was spoken on either side。 The game had been played too often for that; and with results too various。
One or two even expressed a sort of dogged regret。 The grinder Reynolds; a very honest fellow; admitted; to Mr。 Cheetham; that he thought it a sorry trick; for a hundred men to strike against one that had had a squeak for his life。 〃But no matter what I think or what I say; I must do what the Union bids me; sir。〃
〃I know that; my poor fellow;〃 said Cheetham。 〃I quarrel with none of you。 I fight you all。 The other masters; in this town; are mice; but I'm a man。〃
This sentiment he repeated very often during the next six days。
The seventh came and the grinders never entered the works。
Cheetham looked grave。 However; he said to Bayne; 〃Go and find out where they are。 Do it cleverly now。 Don't be noticed。〃
Bayne soon ascertained they were all in the neighboring public… houses。
〃I thought so;〃 said Cheetham。 〃They will come in; before night。 They sha'n't beat me; the vagabonds。 I'm a man; I'm not a mouse。〃
〃Orders pouring in; sir;〃 sighed Bayne。 〃And the grinders are rather behind the others in their work already。〃
〃They must have known that: or why draw out the grinders? How could they know it?〃
〃Sir;〃 said Bayne; 〃they say old Smitem is in this one。 Wherever he is; the master's business is known; or guessed; heaven knows how; and; if there is a hole in his coat; that hole is hit。 Just look at the cleverness of it; sir。 Here we are; wrong with the forgers and handlers。 Yet they come into the works and take their day's wages。 But they draw out the grinders; and mutilate the business。 They