ne of 'em. They who expressed an
opinion at all hoped that their husbands would vote for him, "as 'd
do most for 'em." "The big loaf;--that's what we want," said one
mother of many children, taking Sir Thomas by the hand. There were
some who took advantage of the occasion to pour out their tales of
daily griefs into the ears of their visitors. To these Griffenbottom
was rather short and hard. "What we want, my dear, is your husband's
vote and interest. We'll hear all the rest another time." Sir Thomas
would have lingered and listened; but Griffenbottom knew that 1,400
voters had to be visited in ten days, and work as they would they
could not see 140 a day. Trigger explained it all to Sir Thomas. "You
can't work above seven hours, and you can't do twenty an hour. And
much of the ground you must do twice over. If you stay to talk to
them you might as well be in London. Mr. Griffenbottom understands it
so well, you'd better keep your eye on him." There could be no object
in the world on which Sir Thomas was less desirous of keeping his
eye.

[Illustration: "The big loaf;--that's what we want," said one
mother of many children, taking Sir Thomas by the hand.]

The men, who were much more difficult to find than the women, had
generally less to say for themselves. Most of them understood at once
what was wanted, and promised. For it must be understood that on this
their first day the conservative brigade was moving among its firm
friends. In Petticoat Yard lived paper-makers in the employment of
Mr. Spiveycomb, and in Pump Lane the majority of the inhabitants were
employed by Mr. Spicer, of the mustard works. The manufactories of
both these men were visited, and there the voters were booked much
quicker than at the rate of twenty an hour. Here and there a man
would hold some peculiar opinion of his own. The Permissive Bill was
asked for by an energetic teetotaller; and others, even in these
Tory quarters, suggested the ballot. But they all,--or nearly all
of them,--promised their votes. Now and again some sturdy fellow,
seeming to be half ashamed of himself in opposing all those around
him, would say shortly that he meant to vote for Moggs, and pass on.
"You do,--do you?" Sir Thomas heard Mr. Spicer say to one such man.
"Yes, I does," said the man. Sir Thomas heard no more, but he felt
how perilous was the position on which a candidate stood under the
present law.

As regarded Sir Thomas himself, he felt, as the even