“Ay, an’ it’s a gran’ price for onybody wha kens aboot it,” said auld Jamie Lauder.  “Pork maun hae risen in price this last twa-three days, for I’m telt it was gaun cheap enough then.”

“That is true,” said Tam, “but it was a damn’d shame to tak’ the auld man’s pig awa’, whaever did it.  But I hear them saying that the polisman is gaun to the farm the nicht to watch, so that the tatties ‘ll no’ be stolen,” he went on, as some of the younger men joined them, “an’ I suppose that the puir polisman hasna’ a bit o’ coal left in his coal-house.  It’s no’ richt, ye ken, laddies, that a polisman, who is the representative o’ law and order in this place, should sit without a fire.  He has a wife an’ weans to worry aboot, an’ they need a fire to mak’ meat.  Maybe if he had a fire an’ plenty o’ coal it wad mak’ him comfortable, an’ then he’d no’ be sae ready to leave the hoose at nicht an’ lie in a tattie pit to watch thievin’ colliers.  If a man hasna’ peace in his mind it’ll mak’ him nasty, an’ we canna’ allow sic a thing as a nasty polisman in this district!”

“That’s richt, Tam,” said one of the younger men.  “It would be a shame to see a woman an’ twa-three weans sittin’ withoot a fire an’ a great big bing o’ coal lyin’ doon there at the pit.  We maun try an’ keep the polisman comfortable.”

That night the policeman without in any way trying to conceal his purpose walked down through the village and across the strip of moor and took up his position at the end of Hairyfithill’s potato field.  At once a group of young men led by Tam Donaldson set off with bags under their arms after it was dark for the pit at the other end of the village and were soon engaged in carrying coal as if their lives depended on it.

“Noo, lads, the first bag gangs to the polisman, mind,” said Tam, shouldering his load and walking off.

“A’ richt, Tam.  If we a’ gang wi’ the first bag to him that’ll be nine bags, then we can get two or three bags for hame.  Dinna hurry; we ha’e a’ nicht to carry, an’ we can get in a fine lot afore daylicht breaks.”

“That’s richt,” said Tam, “but mind an’ no’ tire yersels too much, for ye’ve a nicht at the tatties the morn.  The polis’ll be at the bing the morn’s nicht efter this carry-on, an’ when he is busy watchin’ for coal thieves, we maun see that we get in a denner or twa o’ tatties.  I heard him sayin’ he could not be everywhere at yince, an’ couldna’ both watch coal thieves an’ tattie stealin’ at yin an’ the same time.”

* * * * *

All this time matters went very smoothly.  The men were very firm, having great trust in Smillie.  After about six weeks, however, from various causes a suspicious atmosphere began to be created.  Hints had been appearing from time to time in the newspapers that matters were not altogether as the miners thought they were.  Then vague rumors got afloat in many districts and spread with great rapidity, and these began to undermine the confidence of the strikers.