Now, Cowder and Mulligan were clever men. They knew, as Dick had frequently warned Ralph, that attaining your objective depends largely on your skill in maneuvering; that if you are going to hold your main line, you must sometimes give up long held positions. They had spiked small guns of Ralph's several times in the course of their fight in handling the mines and factories of Sabinsport by withdrawals from the points which he was besieging. There was accident compensation. After the accident at the "Emma" they had won the favor of labor leaders and the liberal-minded throughout the State by working out and putting into effect a compensation plan much broader than any reform agency had yet suggested. It was a shock to Ralph to see them honored. Then there was the case of the coöperative stores. After much grumbling, they had consented to let Jack try it out at the mines; and, having consented, they both had stirred themselves to make it a success. Mulligan particularly had spent much time among the miners, the men who had grown up with him, and who at the start no more liked the change than he did--explaining why they did it, how it was to be done, and how it might cut down their expenses if it was a success. It put Ralph into a corner. You couldn't abuse men for doing the things you had abused them for not doing. You could hint that they were "insincere," but that was a little cheap--looked like sour grapes. It held up his campaign, which, for rapid promotion, had to have a villain, a steady, reliable villain that couldn't be educated, that wouldn't budge from his exploitation and greed. To have the villain come around to any part of your program was as bad as having a hero with feet of clay. Cowder and Mulligan, watching the progress of the anti-munition campaign in the factory, decided something must be done. "I say," Jake told his friend, "that we put it up to the boys. The _Argus_ is always howling about their not having anything to say about the way the mills are run; let's give 'em a chance. You know out at the mines that boy of mine has been having what he calls 'Mine Meetings.' He built a little clubhouse out there a year or so ago, and one night a week he goes out, and everybody that works in the mine can come in and they discuss things. There ain't anything about the mine that Jack don't let them talk about. I thought he was crazy when he started it, but ever since the accident I've kept my hands off, as you know. The funny part is that it seems to help things, and Jack claims he gets all sorts of good ideas. He says he is going to have these men running the mines, and I don't know but he will. I don't see where we will come in, but I promised to give him a free hand. I don't see, Cowder, why we shouldn't try something like that now. Call the boys in the wire mill together some noon. Put it up to 'em. Let 'em vote whether they want to make wire or not. I'd like to see what the _Argus_ would say if we tried that."