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'What can you do against free drinks and a dance； not to speak of
the 〃High Kickers〃？' he groaned。
'No！' he continued； 'it's a clean beat for us today。 The miners
and lumbermen will have in their pockets ten thousand dollars； and
every dollar burning a hole； and Slavin and his gang will get most
of it。 But；' he added； 'you must have breakfast。 You'll find a
tub in the kitchen； don't be afraid to splash。 It is the best I
have to offer you。'
The tub sounded inviting； and before many minutes had passed I was
in a delightful glow； the effect of cold water and a rough towel；
and that consciousness of virtue that comes to a man who has had
courage to face his cold bath on a winter morning。
The breakfast was laid with fine taste。 A diminutive pine…tree； in
a pot hung round with wintergreen； stood in the centre of the
table。
'Well； now； this looks good； porridge； beefsteak； potatoes； toast；
and marmalade。'
'I hope you will enjoy it all。'
There was not much talk over our meal。 Mr。 Craig was evidently
preoccupied； and as blue as his politeness would allow him。
Slavin's victory weighed upon his spirits。 Finally he burst out；
'Look here！ I can't； I won't stand it； something must be done。
Last Christmas this town was for two weeks； as one of the miners
said； 〃a little suburb of hell。〃 It was something too awful。 And
at the end of it all one young fellow was found dead in his shack；
and twenty or more crawled back to the camps； leaving their three
months' pay with Slavin and his suckers。
'I won't stand it； I say。' He turned fiercely on me。 'What's to
be done？'
This rather took me aback； for I had troubled myself with nothing
of this sort in my life before； being fully occupied in keeping
myself out of difficulty； and allowing others the same privilege。
So I ventured the consolation that he had done his part； and that a
spree more or less would not make much difference to these men。
But the next moment I wished I had been slower in speech； for he
swiftly faced me； and his words came like a torrent。
'God forgive you that heartless word！ Do you know？ But no； you
don't know what you are saying。 You don't know that these men have
been clambering for dear life out of a fearful pit for three months
past； and doing good climbing too； poor chaps。 You don't think
that some of them have wives； most of them mothers and sisters； in
the east or across the sea； for whose sake they are slaving here；
the miners hoping to save enough to bring their families to this
homeless place； the rest to make enough to go back with credit。
Why； there's Nixon； miner； splendid chap； has been here for two
years； and drawing the highest pay。 Twice he has been in sight of
his heaven； for he can't speak of his wife and babies without
breaking up； and twice that slick son of the devilthat's
Scripture； mind youSlavin； got him； and 〃rolled〃 him； as the boys
say。 He went back to the mines broken in body and in heart。 He
says this is his third and last chance。 If Slavin gets him； his
wife and babies will never see him on earth or in heaven。 There is
Sandy； too； and the rest。 And；' he added； in a lower tone； and
with the curious little thrill of pathos in his voice； 'this is the
day the Saviour came to the world。' He paused； and then with a
little sad smile； 'But I don't want to abuse you。'
'Do； I enjoy it； I'm a beast； a selfish beast'； for somehow his
intense； blazing earnestness made me feel uncomfortably small。
'What have we to offer？' I demanded。
'Wait till I have got these things cleared away； and my
housekeeping done。'
I pressed my services upon him； somewhat feebly； I own； for I can't
bear dishwater； but he rejected my offer。
'I don't like trusting my china to the hands of a tender…foot。'
'Quite right； though your china would prove an excellent means of
defence at long range。' It was delf； a quarter of an inch thick。
So I smoked while he washed up； swept； dusted； and arranged the
room。
After the room was ordered to his taste； we proceeded to hold
council。 He could offer dinner； magic lantern； music。 'We can
fill in time for two hours； but；' he added gloomily； 'we can't beat
the dance and the 〃High Kickers。〃'
'Have you nothing new or startling？'
He shook his head。
'No kind of show？ Dog show？ Snake charmer？'
'Slavin has a monopoly of the snakes。'
Then he added hesitatingly； 'There was an old Punch…and…Judy chap
here last year； but he died。 Whisky again。'
'What happened to his show？'
'The Black Rock Hotel man took it for board and whisky bill。 He
has it still； I suppose。'
I did not much relish the business； but I hated to see him beaten；
so I ventured； 'I have run a Punch and Judy in an amateur way at
the 'Varsity。'
He sprang to his feet with a yell。
'You have！ you mean to say it？ We've got them！ We've beaten
them！' He had an extraordinary way of taking your help for
granted。 'The miner chaps； mostly English and Welsh； went mad over
the poor old showman； and made him so wealthy that in sheer
gratitude he drank himself to death。'
He walked up and down in high excitement and in such evident
delight that I felt pledged to my best effort。
'Well；' I said； 'first the poster。 We must beat them in that。'
He brought me large sheets of brown paper； and after two hours'
hard work I had half a dozen pictorial showbills done in gorgeous
colours and striking designs。 They were good； if I do say it
myself。
The turkey； the magic lantern； the Punch and Judy show were all
there； the last with a crowd before it in gaping delight。 A few
explanatory words were thrown in； emphasising the highly artistic
nature of the Punch and Judy entertainment。
Craig was delighted； and proceeded to perfect his plans。 He had
some half a dozen young men； four young ladies； and eight or ten
matrons； upon whom he could depend for help。 These he organised
into a vigilance committee charged with the duty of preventing
miners and lumbermen from getting away to Slavin's。 'The critical
moments will be immediately before and after dinner； and then again
after the show is over；' he explained。 'The first two crises must
be left to the care of Punch and Judy； and as for the last； I am
not yet sure what shall be done'； but I saw he had something in his
head； for he added； 'I shall see Mrs。 Mavor。'
'Who is Mrs。 Mavor？' I asked。 But he made no reply。 He was a born
fighter； and he put the fighting spirit into us all。 We were bound
to win。
The sports were to begin at two o'clock。 By lunch…time everything
was in readiness。 After lunch I was having a quiet smoke in
Craig's shack when in he rushed； saying
'The battle will be lost before it is fought。 If we lose Quatre
Bras； we shall never get to Waterloo。'
'What's up？'
'Slavin； just now。 The miners are coming in； and he will have them
in tow in half an hour。'
He looked at me appealingly。 I knew what he wanted。
'All right； I suppose I must； but it is an awful bore that a man
can't have a quiet smoke。'
'You're not half a bad fellow；' he replied； smiling。 'I shall get
the ladies to furnish coffee inside the booth。 You furnish them
intellectual nourishment in front with dear old Punch and Judy。'
He sent a boy with a bell round the village announcing； 'Punch； and
Judy in front of the Christmas booth beside the church'； and for
three…quarters of an hour I shrieked and sweated in that awful
little pen。 But it was almost worth it to hear the shouts of
approval and laughter that greeted my performance。 It was cold
work standing about； so that the crowd was quite ready to respond
when Punch； after being duly hanged； came forward and invited all
into the booth for the hot coffee which Judy had ordered。
In they trooped； and Quatre Bras was won。
No sooner were the miners safely engaged with their coffee than I
heard a great noise of bells and of men shouting； and on reaching
the street I saw that the men from the lumber camp were coming in。
Two immense sleighs； decorated with ribbons and spruce boughs； each
drawn by a four…horse team gaily adorned； filled with some fifty
men； singing and shouting with all their might； were coming down
the hill road at full gallop。 Round the corner they swung； dashed
at full speed across the bridge and down the street； and pulled up
after they had made the circuit of a block； to the great admiration
of the onlookers。 Among others Slavin sauntered up good…naturedly；
making himself agreeable to Sandy and those who were helping to
unhitch his team。
'Oh； you need not take trouble with me or my team； Mike Slavin。
Batchees and me and the boys can look after them fine；' said Sandy
coolly。
This rejecting of hospitality was perfectly understood by Slavin
and by all。
'Dat's too bad； heh？' said Baptiste wickedly； 'and； Sandy； he's got
good money on his pocket for sure； too。' The boys laughed； and
Slavin； joining in； turned away with Keele and Blaney； but by the
look in his eye I knew he was playing 'Br'er Rabbit；' and lying
low。
Mr。 Craig just then came up； 'Hello； boys！ too late for Punch and
Judy； but just in time for hot coffee and doughnuts。'
'Bon； dat's fuss rate；' said Bapt