Let's march on out to Egerton's big house And call the Governor out and lay our case Before him. CRIES. Right! That's right! A VOICE. First let's go home And get the women folk and all march out. MIKE HAWLEY. You talk like fools. Ain't Braddock, too, a slave? He's 'bout as big to Egerton as your thumb. WES DICEY. It seems to me like, boys, we're in a boat. We've pulled together hard as any men Tryin' to make the shore off there. But here She's leakin' and our biscuits have give out. The question now is, hadn't we better make For this shore here? It ain't the one we want; But here there's bread and water. But they say-- And this it is that seems to rub Sam most-- 'Scuttle your boat or you don't land here.' Well, Scuttle her, then I say. (_Hisses from the crowd_) Now you hold on. I love the Union much as any man. And I've stood by her, too, through thick and thin. Ain't I stood by her, boys? JIM KING. Wes is our friend. WES DICEY. And will again. Then what do I mean? Just this: It's a queer shore ain't got a cove or two Where you can hide her. I don't mean to say That Sam ain't done his best to captain us; He has. But here she is, she's goin' down, So I say land. For bread tastes mighty good, And air this time o' year won't keep you warm If you're turned out. Later, we get our strength, We'll patch her up and make for that green shore Sam talks of. But just now it's this or this. (_Points toward the mill, then to the ground_) And if we go down, then where's your Union? Eh? A VOICE. He's right. ROME MASTERS. But if we live, then it lives too. WES DICEY. So it's the Union that I'm speakin' for. JIM KING. He's speakin' for our wives and children too. A VOICE. What about us whose places have been filled? ANOTHER VOICE. You want us all to go down, eh? SAM WILLIAMS. No! SEVERAL. No! HARVEY ANDERSON. Pards, I'm one of Egerton's men, if you'll let me Butt in here just a minute with a word. You've seen two sides of this thing, but there's three. There's one big black one you don't face at all, Even your Captain here. You're all right, pard, In what you say about their mills and lands Not giving them power; it's their owning you. And if you'll just tear up that bill of sale And call the deal off, Egerton's big shadow That fills the valley, lengthening year by year Until your hair stands up, you'll be surprised How you can cover it with a six-foot pole. For it's on you he's standing. WES DICEY. Who are you? HARVEY ANDERSON. But look here, pards, are you calling off this sale Or simply trying, as it seems to me, To make him take the goods at the old price? HASKELL. What have you got to do with it? HARVEY ANDERSON. And what's the price? Where's all that gone? (_Points to the mountains_)