Bannon's quiet manner exasperated the delegate.

"Use your eyes, man--you can't make eight men carry a twelve-by-fourteen
stick."

"How many shall I put on?"

"Ten."

"All right."

"And you'd better put eight men on the other sticks."

The delegate looked up, nettled that Bannon should yield so easily.

"That's all right," said Bannon. "We aren't fighting the union. After
this, if you've got anything to say, I wish you'd come to me with it
before you call off the men. Is there anything else before I start up?"

Grady was chewing the stub of a cigar. He stood looking about with an ugly
air, then he said:--

"You ain't starting up just yet."

"Why not?"

The delegate's reply was lost in the shout that suddenly went up from the
western end of the line of laborers. Then came the sound of a locomotive
bell and exhaust. Bannon started down the track, jumping the timbers as he