“I promised to tell you how to become capitalists, each and every one of you, and I’ll keep my word if you’ll listen to me a little longer.”

While Jack had been speaking, some of the men had shown considerable interest and had gradually crowded their way nearer to the boy.  Thirty or forty Cornishmen and perhaps as many others of the better sort were close to the car, and seemed anxious to hear what he had to say.  Back of these, however, were the large majority of the miners and the hangers-on at the saloons, who did not wish to hear, and did not mean that others should hear, what the boy had to say.  Led by McGinnis and the saloon-keepers, they had kept up such a row that it had been impossible for any one, except those quite near the car, to hear at all.  Now they determined to stop the talk and to bounce the boy.  They made a vigorous rush for the car with shouts and uplifted hands.

A gigantic Cornishman mounted the car, and said, in a voice that could easily be heard above the shouting of the crowd:—­

“Wait—­wait a bit, men!  The lad is a brave one, and ye maun own to that!  There be small ’urt in words, and mebbe ’e ’ave tole a bit truth.  Me and me mates ’ere are minded to give un a chance.  If ye men don’t want to ’ear ’im, you don’t ’ave to stay; but don’t ’e dare touchen with a finger, or, by God!  Tom Carkeek will kick the stuffin’ out en ’e!”

This was enough to prevent any overt act, for Tom Carkeek was the champion wrestler in all that county; he was fiercer than fire when roused, and he would be backed by every Cornishman on the job.

Jack went on with his talk.  “The ‘Order of Thinkers’ claim that you men and all of your class spend one-third of your entire wages for whiskey and beer.  There are exceptions, but the figures will hold good.  I am going to call the amount of your wages spent in this way, one-fourth.  The yearly pay-roll of this mine is, in round numbers, $200,000.  Fifty thousand of this goes into the hands of those harpies, who grow rich as you grow poor.  You are surprised at these figures, and yet they are too small.  I counted the saloons over there, and I find there are eleven of them.  Divide $50,000 into eleven parts, and you would give each saloon less than $5000 a year as a gross business.  Not one of those places can run on the legitimate percentage of a business which does not amount to more than that.  Do you suppose these men are here from charitable motives or for their health?  Not at all.  They are here to make money, and they do it.  Five or six hundred dollars is all they pay for the vile stuff for which they charge you $5000.  They rob you of manhood and money alike.

“Now, what would be the result if you struck on these robbers?  I will tell you.  In the first place, you would save $50,000 each year, and you would be better men in every way for so doing.  You would earn more money, and your children would wear shoes and go to school.  That would be much, and well worth while; but that is not the best of it.  I will make a proposition to you, and I will promise that it shall be carried out on my side exactly as I state it.