"We've tried to get him for months, but we're no nearer than we were. Downs has rounded up spies--subordinates, strong-arm men, and that sort. But they knew nothing. To break up this thing we've got to get the man at the top." "Well, get him. There's a way. Nobody is so smart that he can hide all the roads that lead to him." "Downs says--" "The devil with Downs! Go after him yourself. The way for any man to do business is to tackle the big jobs himself and leave the details to hired men. It looks like this was the big job." "If a trained Secret Service man falls down on it, how could I hope to do anything?" "Because you're not a trained Secret Service man," said Fabius, grimly. "And because you've _got_ to. And when you get him, get him _good_." Potter went back to his office, not in a happy mood. He found a delegation of machinists waiting for him. "Mr. Waite," said the spokesman, an oldish man with hard hands and intelligent eyes, "the men got together last night and appointed us to come to talk things over." "What things, Lakin?" "It isn't what you may be thinking, Mr. Waite. We're satisfied. Wages and conditions are all right--but we don't like to work here." "Why? What do you want?" "The men are afraid," Lakin said, "and I, for one, don't blame them. Work is plenty, Mr. Waite, and every man can find a dozen places to work where there ain't danger of his being blown sky-high. That's the trouble." "Where did you get this sky-high notion?" "The shop is full of it. The men _know_ it. I don't know how they know it, or who told them, but every man is as sure of it as he is of his own name. Ain't that so, Jim?" "It's a-comin'," said Jim. "Who says so?" "Everybody. The men know the things that have happened, and they say something worse is on the way.... They say it'll come when the plant's done." "Didn't set any date, did they?" Potter asked, with a grim smile. "Pretty close" said Lakin, somberly. "And you can't expect 'em to hang around, waiting for it. I'm not goin' to." Potter sat back in his chair and considered. Something must be done, and must be done at once. "Lakin," he said, "hold the men together this noon. I've got something to say to them." "All right, Mr. Waite, but I don't b'lieve it'll do any good." At noon Potter went down to the mill-yard, where a multitude of men were expectantly assembled. He stood upon a motor truck and looked about him, and there was a thrill in his heart at the spectacle, a thrill at the thought that he was the general in command of all these men. It gave him a sense of power, a sense of his capability to accomplish. "Men," he said, "Lakin told me this morning what ails you. You're afraid something is going to happen." "We know it," shouted a voice.