Level," said Jamie Lauder, "an' I'm telt there's five or six staunin' in
the Black Horse Dook. It's a' a bit of humbug, an' I think we should try
an' put an end to it."

"Weel, I think we're a' agreed on that," said Tam Tate. "Has ony o' you
onything to suggest?"

For a few minutes there was silence, while they sat or stood deep in
thought, trying to find a solution. It was an eerie gathering, with the
gray dawn just beginning to break, while on every head the
indispensable lamp burned and flickered. Men expectorated savagely upon
the ground, staring hard at the stones at their feet, thinking and
wondering how they might serve their comrades.

"It's about time we had a union," said one.

"Ay," replied another, "so that some bigmouthed idiot can pocket the
money an' get a guid saft job oot o' it."

"We've had plenty of unions," put in another. "The last yin we started
here--ye mind Bob Ritchie gaed aff to America wi' a' the money. It was a
fine go for him!"

"Oh, ay, but let us see what can be done wi' this case," said Jamie
Lauder. "Hoo' wad it do if we appointed a deputation to gang an' lay the
hale thing afore Mr. Rundell?"

Jamie was always listened to with the respect due to his proved good
sense, for everyone knew that he was a man who would not intentionally
hurt a fellow creature by word or deed.