themselves indispensable to their employers? Yes. And how accomplish
that in banking? If any man thinks he can make himself indispensable
to a bank _individually_, he is mistaken. But men in any trade or
calling can make themselves necessary to an employer _collectively_ by
co-operating; and co-operation is the only way. Evan knew that it was
the only way for bankclerks to obtain their rights. The banks would
not do business with an individual because they didn't have to; it was
easier to dismiss him. But their offensively arbitrary methods could
not be employed where a great number of clerks were concerned. If the
bankclerks of Canada were united they could talk as a body, and the
banks of Canada would be compelled to listen. It did not occur to Evan
for a moment that the boys would go on strike: but they would have the
power to strike, and, if the banks were mad enough to resent business
negotiations, they would show that they _could_ strike.

Henty wakened out of his reverie and Evan began discussing bank union
with him. They had money in their pockets and enthusiasm in their
souls. They discussed the workings-out of the scheme, and youthfully
pictured scenes that were brightest. Still, had they not dreamed of
green fields and seen their dreams come true?

"How much are we going to spend on it, Evan?" asked Henty.

"I figure it will cost us two thousand dollars each to get the thing in
motion. Then if the organization ever gets rich enough it may want to
pay us back. Do you feel like affording so much?"

"Sure--I don't mind a couple of thou'."

Nelson laughed; he was happy. The spirit of the reformer had somehow
got into his system and he thought only of the work before him. He
tried to estimate the happiness it would bring to the worn-out clerk,
the booze-fighting clerk, the forced-to-be-untrue lover clerk, the poor
parents who spent their savings in fitting out juniors for the "glory
of the bank," and the girls waiting in home towns.... His imagination
came to a halt, for a space, and he very unimaginatively sighed over
by-gone illusions. Then he forgot the bitterness of disillusionment in
a picture that framed itself on the window of the observation-car,
against a dark background of passing rock and pines. He saw himself
walking beside Frankie on one of the streets of Hometon. Her dear eyes
were downcast, but her hand was willingly in his, and they were
speaking of the days when he should c