attacking the poor like ourselves; them as has none to help, but mun
choose between vitriol and starvation. I say we're more cowardly in
doing that than in leaving them alone. No! what I would do is this.
Have at the masters!" Again he shouted, "Have at the masters!" He
spoke lower; all listened with hushed breath--

"It's the masters as has wrought this woe; it's the masters as
should pay for it. Him as called me coward just now, may try if I
am one or not. Set me to serve out the masters, and see if there's
aught I'll stick at."

"It would give the masters a bit on a fright if one of them were
beaten within an inch of his life," said one.

"Ay! or beaten till no life were left in him," growled another.

And so with words, or looks that told more than words, they built up
a deadly plan. Deeper and darker grew the import of their speeches,
as they stood hoarsely muttering their meaning out, and glaring with
eyes that told the terror their own thoughts were to them, upon
their neighbours. Their clenched fists, their set teeth, their
livid looks, all told the suffering which their minds were
voluntarily undergoing in the contemplation of crime, and in
familiarising themselves with its details.

Then came one of those fierce terrible oaths which bind members of
Trades' Unions to any given purpose. Then under the flaring
gaslight, they met together to consult further. With the distrust
of guilt, each was suspicious of his neighbour; each dreaded the
treachery of another. A number of pieces of paper (the identical