"Paid me pound a-week all the time I was badly, my lad."
"And very kind of them too," I said warmly.
"Ay, 'twas. Felt at times, lad, as if I warn't worth the money, that I
did."
Just then Stevens made his appearance, crossing from the grinders' shop
to one of the smithies at the end; and as he went along at some distance
I saw him look curiously over at where I was standing talking to
Pannell.
"Theer it is again," said the latter. "You mean well, lad, and it's
very kind on you; but I shall hev it 'fore long on account o' talking to
thee."
"Oh, surely not!" I cried angrily. "The men will never be such cowards
as to attack you for that."
"Men weant, but trade will," said Pannell. "Mates can't do as they like
about it. Look ye yonder; what did I say?"
He nodded in the direction of Stevens, who had returned directly,
stopped opposite the smithy, but at some distance, and as soon as I
looked up he began to signal to me to go to him.
I never liked the man, for he always seemed to dislike me, and I gave
him the credit of being one of the active parties in the outrages that
had been committed upon us. But I remembered what our plans were to
be--frank, straightforward, and fearless--and I walked right up to
Stevens, whose brow was lowering and full of menace.
"Here, I want a word with you," he said fiercely.
"All right, Stevens!" I said. "What is it?"
"Come over here," he replied, "and I'll tell ye."
He led the way along the yard to the other side of the great coal heap,
which lay there massive and square, through its sides being carefully
built up with big blocks of coal.
We were quite out of sight there, and, as I thought, how easy it would
be for him to knock me down with one of the lumps.