ed. To his infinite surprise he found it had not, and Bayne told
him the reason. Henry was angry, and went direct to Grotait about it.

But as soon as he saw Jobson, and Parkin, and Potter, he started, and
they started. "Oh!" said he, "I didn't expect to find so much good
company. Why, here's the whole quorum."

"We will retire, sir, if you wish it."

"Not at all. My orders are to convert you all to Life, Labor, and
Capital (Grotait pricked up his ears directly); and, if I succeed,
the Devil will be the next to come round, no doubt. Well, Mr. Grotait,
Simmons is on that same grindstone you and I condemned. And all for
a matter of four shillings. I find that, in your trade, the master
provides the stone, but the grinder hangs and races it, which, in
one sense, is time lost. Well, Simmons declines the new stone, unless
Cheetham will pay him by time for hanging and racing it; Cheetham
refuses; and so, between them, that idiot works on a faulty stone. Will
you use your influence with the grinder?"

"Well, Mr. Little, now, between ourselves don't you think it rather
hard that the poor workman should have to hang and race the master's
grindstone for nothing?"

"Why, they share the loss between them. The stone costs the master three
pounds; and hanging it costs the workman only four or five shillings.
Where's the grievance?"

"Hanging and racing a stone shortens the grinder's life; fills his lungs
with grit. Is the workman to give Life and Labor for a forenoon, and
is Capital to contribute nothing? Is that your view of Life, Labor, and
Capital, young man?"

Henry was staggered a moment. "That is smart," said he. "But a rule of
trade is a rule, till it is altered by consent of the parties that made
it. Now, right or wrong, it is the rule of trade here that the small
grinders find their own stones, and pay for power; but the saw-grinders
are better off, for they have not to find stones, nor power, and their
only drawback is that they must hang and race a new stone, which costs
the master sixty shillings. Cheetham is smarting under your rules, and
you can't expect him to go against any rule, that saves him a shilling."

"What does the grinder think?"

"You might as well ask what the grindstone thinks."

"Well, what does the grinder say, then?"

"Says he'd rather run the stone out, than lose a forenoon."

"Well, sir, it is his business."

"It may be a man's business to hang himself; but it is the bystanders'
to hin