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Thenegotiationsbetweenthemenandtheiremployers，inwhichthechiefexponentsoftheprinciplesofjusticeandfairplaywereMr。
McGinnisontheonehandandBrotherSimmonsontheother，brokedownatthesecondmeeting，whichendedinavigorouspersonalencounterbetweenthesegentlemen，without，however，seriousinjurytoeither。
Thefollowingdayageneralstrikewasdeclared。Allworkceasedinthefactoriesaffectedandbuildingoperationswhichhadbeguninamoderatewaywerearrested。GrantMaitlandwasheartilydisgustedwiththecourseofeventsandmoreespeciallywiththehumiliatinganddisgracefulmannerinwhichthenegotiationshadbeenconducted。
“Youwerequiteright，Jack，“hesaidtohissonthemorningafterwhichthestrikehadbeendeclared。“ThatmanMcGinnisisquiteimpossible。“
“Itreallymadelittledifference，Dad。Thenegotiationswerehopelessfromthebeginning。Therewasnochanceofpeace。“
“Whynot？“
“BecauseMcNishwantswar。“HeproceededtogiveanaccountoftheeveningspentattheMcNishhome。“WhenMcNishwantspeace，wecaneasilyendthestrike，“concludedJack。
“Thereissomethinginwhatyousay，doubtless，“repliedhisfather，“butmeantimethereisalottobedone。“
“Whatdoyoumeanexactly，Father？“
“Wehavealotofstockmadeuponhand。Themarketisdeadatpresentprices。Thereisnohopeofsales。Themarketwillfalllowerstill。Iproposethatwetakeourlossandunloadatthebestratewecanget。“
“Thatisyourjob，Dad。Iknowlittleaboutthat，butIbelieveyouareright。Ihavebeendoingalotofreadingintradejournalsandthatsortofthing，andIbelievethatabigslumpissurelycoming。ButthereisalottodoinmydepartmentattheMills，also。Iamnotsatisfiedwiththeinsidearrangementofourplaningmill。Thereisalotoftimewastedandthereisanalmostcompletelackofco-ordination。HereisaplanIwanttoshowyou。
Theideaistoimprovetheroutingofourwork。“
Maitlandglancedattheplanperfunctorily，moretopleasehissonthananythingelse。But，afterasecondglance，hebecamedeeplyinterestedandbegantoaskquestions。Afterhalfanhour’sstudyhesaid:
“Jack，thisisreallyavastimprovement。Strange，Ineverthoughtofagreatmanyofthesethings。“
“Ihavebeenreadingupabit，andwhenIwasonmytriptwoweeksagoIlookedinupontwoorthreeoftheplantsofourcompetitors。
Ibelievethiswillbemoreup-to-dateandwillsavetimeandlabour。“
“Iamsureitwill，boy。Andwewillputthisinhandatonce。
Butwhataboutmen？“
“Oh，wecanpickuplabourers，andthatisallwewantatthepresenttime。“
“Allright，goatit。Iwillgiveyouahandmyself。“
“Thenthereissomethingelse，Dad。Weoughttohaveagoodathleticfieldforourmen。“
Hisfathergaspedathim。
“Anathleticfieldforthoseungratefulrascals？“
“Father，theyarenotrascals，“saidhisson。“Theyarejustthesameto-dayastheyeverwere。Adecentlotofchapswhodon’tthinkthesameaswedoonanumberofpoints。Buttheyarecomingbackagainsometimeandwemayaswellbereadyforthem。Lookatthis。“
AndbeforeGrantMaitlandcouldrecoverhisspeechhefoundhimselflookingatabeautifully-drawnplanofathleticgroundssetoutwithwalks，shadetreesandshrubbery，andwithaplainbutcommodiousclub-houseappearinginthebackground。
“Andwheredoyougetthisland，andwhatdoesitcostyou？“
“Theland，“repliedJack，“isyourlandabouttheoldmill。Itwillcostusnothing，Ihope。Theoldmillsitecontainstwoandone-halfacres。Itcanbeputinshapewithlittlework。Themillitselfisaneyesore；oughttohavebeenremovedlongago。Dad，yououghttohaveseentheplantatVioletta，thatisinOhio，youknow。Itisajoytobehold。Butnevermindaboutthat。Thelumberintheoldmillcanbeusedupintheclub-house。Thetimbersarewonderful；nothinglikethemto-dayanywhere。Theoutsidefinishingwillbedonewithslabsfromourownyard。Theywillmakeaveryprettyjob。“
“Andwheredoyougetthemenforthiswork？“inquiredhisfather。
“Why，ourmen。Itisforthemselv
