“Sure not!” said the other. “Just the opposite--it’ll give me an object lesson to point to. There are men here who don’t even know they’ve a legal right to a check-weighman. There are others who know they don’t get their weights, but aren’t sure its the company that’s cheating them. If the bosses should refuse to let any one inspect the weights, if they should go further and fire the men who ask it--well, there’ll be plenty of recruits for my union local!” “All right,” said Hal. “I’m not setting out to recruit your union local, but if the company wants to recruit it, that’s the company’s affair!” And on this bargain the two shook hands. BOOK TWO THE SERFS OF KING COAL SECTION 1. Hal was now started upon a new career, more full of excitements than that of stableman or buddy, with perils greater than those of falling rock or the hind feet of mules in the stomach. The inertia which overwork produces had not had time to become a disease with him; youth was on his side, with its zest for more and yet more experience. He found it thrilling to be a conspirator, to carry about with him secrets as dark and mysterious as the passages of the mine in which he worked. But Jerry Minetti, the first person he told of Tom Olson’s purpose in North Valley, was older in such thrills. The care-free look which Jerry was accustomed to wear vanished abruptly, and fear came into his eyes. “I know it come some day,” he exclaimed--“trouble for me and Rosa!” “How do you mean?” “We get into it--get in sure. I say Rosa, ‘Call yourself Socialist--what good that do? No help any. No use to vote here--they don’t count no Socialist vote, only for joke!’ I say, ‘Got to have union. Got to strike!’ But Rosa say, ‘Wait little bit. Save little bit money, let children grow up. Then we help, no care if we no got any home.’” “But we’re not going to start a union now!” objected Hal. “I have another plan for the present.” Jerry, however, was not to be put at ease. “No can wait!” he declared. “Men no stand it! I say, ‘It come some day quick--like blow-up in mine! Somebody start fight, everybody fight.’” And Jerry looked at Rosa, who sat with her black eyes fixed anxiously upon her husband. “We get into it,” he said; and Hal saw their eyes turn to the room where Little Jerry and the baby were sleeping. Hal said nothing--he was beginning to understand the meaning of rebellion to such people. He watched with curiosity and pity the struggle that went on; a struggle as old as the soul of man--between the voice of self-interest, of comfort and prudence, and the call of duty, of the ideal. No trumpet sounded for this conflict, only the still small voice within. After a while Jerry asked what it was Hal and Olson had planned; and Hal explained that he wanted to make a test of the company’s attitude toward the check-weighman law. Hal thought it a fine scheme; what did Jerry think? Jerry smiled sadly. “Yes, fine scheme for young feller--no got family!”