nd clem till it's over."

"But it's such a cowardly way of making war, to do what you men do."

"What they men do, lad," he whispered.

"What you men do," I repeated.

"Nay, they men," he whispered.

"You are one of them, and on their side, so what they do you do."

"Is that so?" he said, giving a piece of steel such a hard bang that he
had to repeat it to get it into shape.

"Of course it is."

"Well, I s'pose you're right, lad," he said, thoughtfully.

"Why don't you tell me, then, who threw the bands in the wheel-pit, so
that he could be discharged?"

"Me! Me tell! Nay. Look at that now."

_That_ was a piece of steel spoiled by the vehemence of his blows, and
it was thrust back into the fire.

"I will not say who gave me the information," I said.

He shook his head.

"Nobody shall ever know that you told me."

He took a little hook he was forging and made a motion with it as if I
were a stalk of wheat and he wanted to draw me to him.

"Lad," he said, "man who tells on his mate aren't a man no longer. I
_am_ a man."

We stood looking at each other for some time, and then he said in his
rough way:

"It aren't no doing o' mine, lad, and I don't like it. It aren't manly.
One o' the mesters did owt to me as I didn't like I'd go up to him and
ask him to tek off his coat like a man and feight it out, or else I'd go
away; but man can't do as he likes i' Arrowfield. He has to do what
trade likes."

"And it was the trade who threw our bands away, and tried to blow us up,
and half-poisoned me and Piter."

"Hah!" he said with a sigh. "That's it, lad."

"Ah, well, I didn't expect you'd tell me, Pannell," I said, smiling.

"You see I can't, my lad. Now can I?"

"No; it wouldn't be honourable. But I say, Pannell, I mean to do all I
can to find out who plays us these dirty tricks."

The big smith looked about him before speaking again.

"Don't, my lad," he whispered. "Yow might get hurt, and I shouldn't
like that i'deed."

"Oh, I won't get hurt!" I said. "Look here, Pannell, do you see this?"

"Ay, lad. Trap for the rats. I've sin scores on em."

"We set them to catch the rats," I said, hesitating a moment or two
before making my venture. "I say, Pannell," I said, "we're very good
friends you and I."

"Course we are, lad; for a Londoner you're quite a decent chap."

"Thank you," I said, smiling. "Well, on the quiet, I want you to do me
a favour."

"Long as it aren't to tell on