ew a few steps aside, and Philip walked along the line of
laboring-men. He grinned and nodded to them, one after another.
MacDougall was right. They were the toughest lot of men he had ever
seen in one gang.

Loud voices turned him about, and he saw that Thorpe and the
sub-foreman had approached a huge, heavy-shouldered man, with whom they
seemed to be in serious altercation. Two or three of the workmen had
drawn near, and Thorpe's voice rang out clear and vibrant.

"You'll do that, Blake, or you'll shoulder your kit back home. And what
goes with you goes with your clique. I know your kind, and you can't
worry me. Take that pick and dig--or hike. There's no two ways about
it."

Philip could not hear what the big man said, but suddenly Thorpe's fist
shot out and struck him fairly on the jaw. In another instant Thorpe
had jumped back, and was facing half a dozen angry, threatening men. He
had drawn a revolver, and his white teeth gleamed in a cool and
menacing smile.

"Think it over, boys," he said, quietly. "And if you're not satisfied
come in and draw your pay this noon. We'll furnish you with outfits and
plenty of grub if you don't like the work up here. I don't care to hold
men like you to your contracts."

He came to meet Philip, as though nothing unusual had happened.

"That will delay the completion of our work for a week at least," he
said, as he thrust his revolver into a holster hidden under his coat.
"I've been expecting trouble with Blake and four or five of his pals
for some time. I'm glad it's over. Blake threatens a strike unless I
give him a sub-foremanship and increase the men's wages from six to ten
dollars a day. Think of it. A strike--up here! It would be the
beginning of history, wouldn't it?"

He laughed softly, and Philip laughed from sheer admiration of the
man's courage.

"You think they'll go?" he asked, anxiously.

"I'm sure of it," replied Thorpe. "It's the best thing that can happen."

An hour later Philip was back in camp. He did not see Thorpe again
until after dinner, and then the gang-foreman hunted him up. His face
wore a worried look.

"It's a little worse than I expected," he said. "Blake and eight others
came in for their pay and outfits this noon. I didn't think that more
than three or four would have the nerve to quit."

"I'll furnish you with men to take their places," said Philip.

"There's the hitch," replied Thorpe, rolling a cigarette. "I want my
men to work by