Page:Frank Packard - On the Iron at Big Cloud.djvu/294

 grievance; due, primarily, to the fact that he had a deep and long-seated grudge against himself. It dated way back—he'd been born that way.

"Grievances!" he spluttered to a group of his admirers. "Grievances? Why, we're against the worst of it all the time. We're not track-walkers, are we? Well then, who runs the road? It's us on the throttles, what? Who's to blame for our measly schedule of hours and pay? We are, 'cause we haven't the sand to stand up for our rights. That's what, and don't you forget it!"

There was a chorus of assent. "Noonan's right," said one Devins, "only it don't look to me like now was what you might rightly call the time to growl. Times are good, everything's double-headed, and the paycar's running carload lots."

Noonan glared. "You've got the brains of a piston head, that's what you have," he exploded. "It's times like these we'd win hands down. Perhaps you'd like to wait till there's nothing doing, and they're laying the boys off and everybody, mostly, is running spare! What chance d'ye think any demands would stand then?"

Of a truth it was the accepted time and a most glorious opportunity. In that, Noonan was right. Only one obstacle lay between him and the accomplishment of his cherished ambition to make something of his trouble-hunting proclivities and become a leader of men—in a strike. That obstacle was McQueen.

McQueen was a company man. Out and out a