said: "All right, sir; he will await you
here. Good morning."

". . . The old boy is wild," said Jack with a slight laugh. "The wires
are quite hot."

"This is no joke, Jack, I can tell you. McGinnis is coming over, is he?"

"Yes," replied Jack, "but we won't get much help from him."

"Why not?" inquired his father. "He is a very shrewd and able business
man."

"He may be all that, sir, but in a case like this, if you really want my
opinion, and I have no wish to be disrespectful, he is a hot-headed ass.
Just the kind of employer to rejoice the heart of a clever labour leader
who is out for trouble. Dad," and Jack's voice became very earnest,
"let's work this out by ourselves. We can handle our own men better
without the help of McGinnis or any other."

"That is just the trouble. Look at this precious document, 'The Allied
Unions.' What have I got to do with them? And signed by Simmons and
McDonough. Who is McDonough, pray?"

"McDonough? Oh, I know McDonough. He is a little like
McGinnis--big-hearted, hot-headed, good in a scrap, useless in a
conference. But I suggest, sir, that we ignore the slight unpleasant
technicalities in the manner and method of negotiation and try to deal
with our own people in a reasonable way."

"I am ready always to meet my own people, but I refuse utterly to deal
with this committee!" It was not often that Mr. Maitland became profane,
but in his description of this particular group of individuals his
ordinary English suffered a complete collapse.

"Dad, McGinnis will be here in a few minutes. I should like to suggest
one or two things, if you will allow me."

"Go on," said his father quickly.

"Dad, this is war, and I have learned a little about that game 'over
there.' And I have learned something about it in my athletic activities.
The first essential is to decline to play the enemy's game. Let's
discover his plan of campaign. As I read this document, the thing that
hits my eye is this: do they really want the things they ask for, or
is the whole thing a blind? What I mean is, do they really want war or
peace? I say let's feel them out. If they are after peace, the thing
is easy. If they want war, this may come to be a very serious thing.
Meantime, Dad, let's not commit ourselves to McGinnis. Let's play it
alone."

Mr. Maitland's lips had set in a thin, hard line. His face was like a
mask of grey steel. He sat thinking silently.

"Here he comes," said Jack, looking out of