What shall we do first? Halt there, you men," said
the Liberator looking back with that scowl which his
apprentices never could forget. "Will you halt or won't you?
or must I be among you?"
There was a tremulous shuffling and then a comparative
silence.
The women and children of the village had been gathered into
the factory yard, of which the great gates were closed.
"What shall we burn first?" asked the Bishop.
"We may as well parley with them a little," said Field;
"perhaps we may contrive to gain admission and then we can
sack the whole affair, and let the people burn the machinery.
It will be a great moral lesson."
"As long as there is burning," said the Bishop, "I don't care
what lessons you teach them. I leave them to you; but I will
have fire to put out that water."
"I'll advance," said Field, and so saying he went forward and
rang at the gate; the Bishop, on his mule, with a dozen Hell-
cats accompanying him; the great body of the people about
twenty yards withdrawn.
"Who rings?" asked a loud voice.
"One who by the order of the Liberator wishes to enter and see
whether his commands for a complete cessation of labour have
been complied with in this establishment.
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