of his neighbors.

"Yes, the son."

"It seems incredible! He's taking his life in his hands."

Gerald Hanbury's first words were lost in the uproar, but gradually the
crowd began to listen. He spoke only a few sentences, and these
Robertson took down in shorthand:

"--The demand just made by your speaker, and supported by all present,
that my father's factory should not be shut down in these turbulent
times, was made by myself this very morning, the moment I heard the news
of the base attack on our country. I don't want any credit for having
presented the matter to my father in most vigorous fashion, and I regret
to say I have accomplished nothing thus far. But the same reasons which
you have just heard from the lips of Mr. Bright have guided me. I, too,
should consider it a crime against the free American people, if we
manufacturers were to desert them in this hour of national danger. I am
not going to make a long speech; I have come here simply to tell you
that I shall go straight to my father from here and offer him the whole
of my fortune from which to pay you your wages so long as the war lasts,
and not only those employed in the factory, but also the families of
those who may enter the army to defend their homes and their country."

Such an outburst of passionate enthusiasm, such wild expressions of joy
as greeted this speech Robertson had never witnessed. The crowd screamed
and yelled itself hoarse, hats were thrown into the air, and pandemonium
reigned supreme. Mr. Hanbury was seized by dozens of strong arms as he
jumped down from the table and was carried through the room over the
heads of the crowd. After he had made the rounds of the hall several
times and shaken hundreds of rough hands, the group of workmen
surrounding the foreman on whose shoulders young Hanbury was enthroned
marched to the entrance, while the whole assembly joined in a marching
song.

By pure chance Robertson found himself near this group as they came to a
halt before the door, just in time to save Mr. Hanbury from having his
skull smashed against the top. So they let him slide down to the ground,
and then the whole crowd made a rush for the Broadway entrance. Such a
jam ensued here, that another meeting was held on the spot, which,
however, consisted chiefly in cheers for Mr. Hanbury.

Suddenly some one shouted: "We'll go with Mr. Hanbury to his father!"
Inch by inch they moved towards Broadway, whence a terrific roar and
wild sh