Thus it was that Ned, calling at the Trades Hall, after having washed and breakfasted at his hotel and seen to various items of union business about town, was greeted with the information that Mr. Melsom was looking for him.

“Who’s Melsom?”

“Oh!  A sort of four-leaved clover, a reasonable employer,” answered his genial informant.  “He’s in a large way of business, interested in a good many concerns, and whenever he’s got a finger in anything we can always get on with it.  He’s a great man for arbitration and conciliation and has managed to settle two or three disputes that I never thought would be arranged peaceably.  He’s a thoroughly decent fellow, I can assure you.”

“What does he want with me, I wonder?”

“He wants you to see Strong, just to talk matters over and let Strong know how you Queenslanders look at things.”

“Who’s Strong?”

“Don’t you know?  He’s managing director of the Great Southern Mortgage Agency.  He’s the man who’s running the whole show on the other side and a clever man, too, don’t you forget it.”

Ned recollected the man he had seen at the restaurant and what Nellie had said of him, two years ago.

“But I can’t see him without instructions.  I must wire up to know what they say about it,” said Ned.

“That’s just what you mustn’t do, old man.  Strong won’t consent to any formal interview, but told Melsom, that he’d be glad to see anybody who knew how the other side saw things, to chat the matter over as between one man and another.  I told Melsom yesterday that you were in town till to-night and he came this morning to get you to see Strong at eleven.  He’ll be back before then.  I told him I thought it would be all right.”

“I don’t see how I can do that without instructions,” repeated Ned.

“If it were formal there could be only one possible instruction, surely,” urged the other.  “As it is absolutely informal and as all that Melsom hopes is that it may lead to a formal conference, I think you should go.  You’d talk to anybody, wouldn’t you?  Besides, Melsom has his heart set on this.  I don’t believe it will lead to anything, mind you, but it will oblige him and he often does a good turn for us.”

“That settles it,” said Ned.  “Only I’ll have to say I’m only giving my own opinion and I’ll have to talk straight whether he likes it or not.”

“Of course.  By the way, here are some wires that’ll interest you, and I want to arrange about sending money up in case they proclaim the unions illegal.  Heaven knows what they can’t do now-a-days!  Have you heard what they did here during the maritime strike?”

* * * * *

Shortly before eleven, Strong was closeted in his private office with a burly man of unmistakably bush appearance, modified both in voice and dress by considerable contact with the towns.  Of sandy complexion, broad features and light-coloured eyes that did not look one full in the face, the man was of the type that attracts upon casual acquaintance but about which there is an indefinable something which, without actually repelling, effectually prevents any implicit confidence.