"Shame on you!" cried Sim. "Rise outer the slime in which you wallows, and in which the iron foot of the despot has crushed you. Rise, base coward, rise." "If thee ca's me a coward, Sim Slee," growled Harry, ominously, "dal me ef I don't mak' all thee bones so sore thee wean't know thee sen. I'll faight any two men i' the room, but dal all barrels o' powther." "Bah!" said Sim, contemptuously. "You'd be a martyr to a holy cause." "Come away, now," whispered Tom Podmore, laying his hand on the foreman's shoulder. "Nay, let's hear them out," was the reply. "Ay, that's all faine enew," said Big Harry, "but I were in the blast when we cast that bell in the wet mowld." "Bah!" cried Sim. "Well, lad, look here now," said Big Harry, "you're a fine chap to talk; s'pose you do all the martyr wuck your own sen." "I'm ashamed on you," cried Sim, as this proposal was met by a burst of cheers. "Isn't theer one on you as will rise out of his sloth and slime, and prove hissen a paytriot. Didn't I mak' all the plans? Didn't I invent the plot? Am I to do everything? Hevn't I allays been scrarping about for the cause? Don't let me blush for you all, and feel as there isn't one as'll come forward and lay the train. I'll do it," he continued, looking hard at Banks, who was staring at vacancy, "if no one else comes forward. I'll go and wuck for the holy mission, as I did over the cooting o' the bands, if there's no other paytriot as rises to the height." Here there was a dead silence, and Barker broke it by saying-- "Had they not better draw lots?" "Yes," said Sim, enthusiastically. "Not if I knows it," said Big Harry, thrusting his hands further into his pockets. "Say the plan ower again, mun," said Banks, in a low voice. "No mouthin', but joost the plan." "To climb in at the little window." "Yes." "Lay the powther under the middle wall." "Yes." "Break open the staves to let it out--lay a good train--light a slow match close to the leather (ladder)." "Yes." "Run up and get out as you got in." "Yes," said Joe Banks, softly, "or die." "And you understand?" "Yes." "And the wucks 'll be blown to atoms." "And what are we to do for wuck then?" said Big Harry. "You great maulkin, you get no wuck now," cried Sim; and the big fellow grunted and looked uncomfortable. "And you will do all this, Sim Slee?" said Banks quietly. "Who? I?" cried Sim, shrinking away. Joe Banks looked at him contemptuously, and then turned to the men. "I'll do it, my lads," he said. "No one knows the old plaace as I know it, and if it's to be blown down, mine's the hand as shall do it. Thuzday night? Good! Be three or four of you theer with the powther under the window, and I'll be ready to tak' it in."