“Poor folks willunt have much left for groceries when they have paid Bell’s price for coal,” said one.  “Since he gets his money for hauling in t’ slate, it costs him nowt to tak’ a big load back on t’ lurry; but, with Redmire bank to clim’, it’s a terrible loss o’ time carting half a ton up dale.”

“You won’t be able to buy the half-ton unless you deal with Bell.  I think you’ll find he has a contract for all the coal that comes down the line.”

They pondered this and another remarked, “Peat’s terrible messy stuff and bad to dry at back end o’ year.”

“It can be dried,” said an old man.  “I mind the time when iver a load o’ coals went past Allerby.  Aw t’ folk clubbed togedder to cut and haul t’ peat from Malton.  Browt it doon on stane-boats by the oad green road.  Howiver, I reckon it cost them summat, counting their time”

Kit gave him a paper.  “This is what our peat has cost us; I’ve charged our labor and what the horses would have earned if we had been paid for plowing.”

They studied the figures, passing the paper around, and then one said, “But peat costs you nowt.  Malton moor is yours and I ken nea ither peat worth cutting.  Mayhappen yan could find some soft trash on the back moor, but I doot if Osborn would let yan bring it doon.”

“Osborn does what his agent says, and it’s weel kent Hayes is a friend o’ Bell’s,” another agreed.

Peter smiled and gave Kit a warning glance.  He suspected the agent had a private understanding that was not to his employer’s benefit with Bell; but this was another matter.  Peter had taught his son to concentrate on the business in hand.

“Weel,” he said, “you can have aw t’ peat you want and we willunt fratch if you pay me nowt.  There’s acres o’ good stuff on Malton moor, and the value o’ peat t’ labor it costs to cut.  Aw t’ same, it willunt pay to send a man or two noo and then.  You must work in a gang; ivery man at his proper job.”

“It was done like that in oad days,” said one.

Peter looked at Kit, who did not speak, for both knew when enough was said.  Indeed, although he was hardly conscious of it yet, Kit had something of a leader’s talent.  For a few minutes the others smoked and thought.  They were independent and suspicious about new plans, but it was obvious that the best defense against a monopoly was a combine.  In fact, they began to see it was the only defense they had.  Then one turned to Peter.

“If you’re for stopping Bell robbing us and starving poor folk at Allerby, I’m with you.”

One after another promised his support, a plan was agreed upon, and Peter was satisfied when his neighbors went away.  They were patient, cautious, and hard to move; but he knew their obstinacy when they were roused.  Now they had started, they would go on, stubbornly taking a road that was new to them.  Bell, of course, would make a cunning fight, but Peter doubted if he would win.