are never content," replied another who was of an opposite
opinion. "It doesna matter what kind o' terms you get, you're never
content."

"I'm no' content wi' thae terms ony way," persisted Davie stubbornly.
"What the hell's the use o' makin' a demand for something, an' sayin'
afore you gang that you mean to hae it, an' then to tamely tak' the hauf
o' it, an' gang awa' hame as pleased as a wheen weans wha have been
promised a penny to tak' castor oil? I'd be dam'd afore I'd tak' that."

"You're owre ill to please," said the other. "You're never satisfied wi'
a fair thing. Didn't you hear as weel as me that there was a danger o'
war breakin' oot at the present time, an' we couldna possibly hae a
strike at a time like this."

"War!" retorted Davie, heatedly. "They'll aye hae a war or something
else to fricht you wi', when you show that you mean business. Wha the
hell hae we to quarrel wi' onyway, I'd like to ken?"

"Oh, it micht be France, or Germany, or Russia, or some ither o' thae
cut-throat foreign nations."

"An' what are you gaun to quarrel aboot?" yelled Davie still more
heatedly.

"What the hell do I ken?" was the answer.

"Then, if you don't ken, why the damn should you quarrel? It's a dam'd
silly thing to fecht at ony time, but it's a dam'd sicht sillier to
fecht withoot haein' a quarrel at a'," cried Davie, now fairly roused.
"That's jist hoo they diddle us. They diddle the workers o' France an'
ither countries in the same way. Maybe the French Government is telling
the French colliers that there is a danger o' a war wi' Britain at this
minute, to keep them quate; an' if they are, do you an' me ken anything
aboot what the war will be for? No' a thing does yin o' us ken. Wars are
no' made by workin' folk at all! They are made wi' the ither crowd, an'
they laugh in their sleeves when they hae sent us awa' back to our work
an' oor hames as quate as mice," and Davie looked round in triumph,
asking with his eyes, and in the tones of his voice, for confirmation of
his views from the others.

Thus they talked and discussed, exchanging opinions about all things in
strong but expressive language, as the train sped northwards bearing
them home. District meetings were organized, and the leaders put
persuasively the arguments for the acceptance of the terms laid down.
All through the crisis the men had behaved admirably, for they had
learned to trust Smillie, even when they felt doubtful of his policy.
Robert too