patience on McGaw's part was advised. The season's
work was over, and nothing of importance could be done until the opening
of the spring business. If Tom's men struck now, she would be glad to
get rid of them. It would, therefore, be wiser to wait until she could
not do without them, when they might all be forced out in a body. In the
interim McGaw should direct his efforts to harassing his enemy. Perhaps
a word with Slattery, the blacksmith, might induce that worthy brother
Knight to refuse to do her shoeing some morning when she was stalled for
want of a horse; or he might let a nail slip in a tender hoof. No one
could tell what might happen in the coming months. At the moment the
funds of the Union were too low for aggressive measures. Were McGaw,
however, to make a contribution of two hundred dollars to the bank
account in order to meet possible emergencies, something might be done.
All this was duly inscribed in the books of the committee,--that is, the
last part of it,--and upon McGaw's promising to do what he could toward
improving the funds. It was thereupon subsequently resolved that before
resorting to harsher measures the Union should do all in its power
toward winning over the enemy. Brother Knight Dennis Quigg was thereupon
deputed to call upon Mrs. Grogan and invite her into the Union.

On brother Knight Dennis Quigg's declining for private reasons the
honorable mission intrusted to him by the honorable board (Mr. Quigg's
exact words of refusal, whispered in the chairman's ear, were, "I'm
a-jollyin' one of her kittens; send somebody else after the old cat"),
another walking delegate, brother Knight Crimmins by name, was selected
to carry out the gracious action of the committee.

Crimmins had begun life as a plumber's helper, had been iceman,
night-watchman, heeler, and full-fledged plumber; and having been out of
work himself for months at a time, was admirably qualified to speak of
the advantages of idleness to any other candidate for like honors.

He was a small man with a big nose, grizzled chin-whiskers, and
rum-and-watery eyes, and wore constantly a pair of patched blue overalls
as a badge of his laborship. The seat of these outside trousers showed
more wear than his hands.

Immediately upon his appointment, Crimmins went to McGaw's house to talk
over the line of attack. The conference was held in the sitting-room and
behind closed doors--so tightly closed that young Billy McGaw, with one
eye in