Page:The Cannery Boat.pdf/121

Rh he considered were in the way all the time. At the same time it would be difficult to turn them out.

His mother had died a long time ago. His father was not one to say anything to his son in a hurry, even when the other relatives egged him on. He refused, however, to accept a penny from a “socialist” son; he thus showed his hostility to his son’s ideas. Twenty shares which would pay a dividend of 12$1⁄2$ per cent. a year he treasured more than he did his son.

Whenever Yamaguchi went to the union, his father grumbled at him.

“You good-for-nothing lout, you take a holiday from your ship for any bloody reason,” he stormed. “When I die I won’t leave these shares to you. I’ll give them to the village, or I’ll leave them to Tokujiro.”

“I don’t want any of your shares.”

“You idiot, you damned fool,” he thundered, “you dare say that! That’s not the right spirit!”

After his death the shares were found with the name changed, showing that he intended them for his son. Yamaguchi promptly sold them. This had happened two months ago.

His cousin, Tokujiro, was a foreman in No. 8 Factory. After the strike began he changed over to No. 11. Yamaguchi only made use of his cousin when he had to. And the cousin did the same with him. Otherwise, even when they met in the street, they did not even nod.

Yamaguchi went to see Tokujiro, hoping to find out who was the spy.

“Your crowd started the quarrel, didn’t they?”