can knock our
chaps about, of course I show them that the Vaughans can fight, or if I
see any fellow pitching in to a young one--"

"Or, in fact, Jack, on any pretext whatever. Well, if it were anyone
else but yourself I should speak very strongly against it; but in your
case I avow that I am glad that you have fought, and fought until, as I
know, no one anywhere near your age will fight with you, because it now
makes you more useful for my purpose."

Jack looked astonished again. "You don't want me to thrash anyone, Mr.
Merton?" he said; "because if you do--"

"No, no, Jack, nothing is further from my thoughts. I want you to get
the lads of your own age to join a night-school, and to become a more
decent Christian set of young fellows than they are now. It is just
because you can fight well, and are looked up to by the lads as their
natural leader, that you can do this. Were anyone else to try it he
would fail. He would be regarded as a milksop, and be called a girl, and
a Molly, and all sorts of names, and no one would join him. Now with you
they can't say this, and boys joining would say to those who made fun of
them, 'There's Jack Simpson, he's one of us; you go and call him Molly
and see what you'll get.' Now you can talk to your comrades, and point
out to them the advantages of learning and decent manners. Show that not
only will they become happier men, but that in a worldly point of view
they will benefit, for that the mine-owners have difficulty in getting
men with sufficient education to act as overmen and viewers. Get them to
agree to keep from drink and from the foul language which makes the
streets horrible to a decent person. You can work a revolution in the
place. You won't get them to do all this at present, but the first step
is to get them to attend a night-school. I have for the last year been
thinking over the matter, and was intending to speak to you about it
when the strike began, and everything else was put aside. Now, I have
spoken to my successor, and he is willing, and indeed anxious, to open
such a school if the young fellows can be induced to come."

Jack sat for some time in silence. He was always slow at coming to a
conclusion, and liked to think over every side of a question.

"How often would it be held, sir?" he asked presently.

"Two or three nights a week, Jack. Those who are anxious to get on can
do as you did, and work between times."

"Two nights would be enough at first," J