The wageworker., 1910-01-01

While the men were busy building
the wall George Eddy and two or
three of his friends found time to
discuss the situation.
There's a hard crowd there" said
of 26. "All kinds-Slavs, Poles, Ital-
ians and French. We're going to have
trouble with them when they begin to
want water"
"That's what is bothering me-" said
Eddy. "The only way is to take mat
ters right in hand now. Who can we
count on?"
1t was decided that an Italian
named Que Antoniese could be count
in case of trouble, and he was told to
watch his countrymen and see that
they were kept in some sort of order.
1t was discovered that there were
some sick men in the crowd too. and
Waite groped around until he found
the two who were in the worst condi-
tion-an old Pole named Walowczak
and an Italian, Zannarinis Already
these two were moaning for water,
and the leaders foresaw the trouble
that would surely come when it
should be discovered that there was
no water there.
He maintained an air of perfect
composure, however, and when the
men had finished walling the chamber
he began to talk to them.
Boys" said he, "we're going to be
all right now. The first thing to do
is to see how we stand for food. How
many Of you have lunch pails?" Near
ly all the men answered in the af-
frmative. "Now, hand them over to
me. We're going to pool their con-
tents, and I'm going to give the food
out in regular rations, SO that it will
be fare and fare alike. Anybody got
any objections?"
Waite, who had been feeling his
way about the cave, whispered to
Eddy that big Slav, nicknamed "The
Bull" was holding out his dinner pail.
Eddy called to him:
The First Sign OF Trouble.
"I don't find The Bulls pail among
these" he said. Come, hand it over"
With grumble the man did as or
dered. accompanying the act with an
oath that did not escape Eddy.
There isn't much here, boys" said
the leader, trying to be cheerful about
it, "but guess it'll do. Now, as to
water, I suppose you fellers think
you're going to die of thirst, eh? Well,
don't worry. Some of you take your
picks and dig into the ground as deep
as you can. think you'll find some
thing to drink, all right"
The men did as he ordered, and in
earth was getting damp. Later, water
began to seep through the earth, and
the men, already thirsty, fell on their
stomachs and pressed their faces
down into the black ooze that was
forming in the little wells. Eddy or
dered them to drink sparingly, as
there was no telling how long this
scanty supply would hold out AS
some of the men rebelled against
these orders, notably 1.-THE Bull"
Eddy set Walter Waite and Que An
| toniese as guards over the two prin-
cipal wells, and moved the sick Walo-
weak and Zannarini near the wells,
so that they could get the water, as
they needed it badly.
subduins "The Bull"
| Eddy portioned out the food ac-
cording as his judgment directed, and
most of the men stood by him, except
little group headed by '"The Bull"
1t was on the second day of their con-
finement that the first real trouble oc-
Cured. Eddy had called the men to
him to give them their food. His
hand would select quantity from
the pile which he had made in one
corner Of the cave, and as he felt a
miners hand reaching out to receive
it he would give the man his rations.
He could not tell if a man repeated"
! He had to take their words in the