Page:The Cannery Boat.pdf/128

118 Yamaguchi climbed over the high wall, taking leaflets with him to distribute among the scabs.

He tied a stone on to the end of a rope ladder and threw it over the wall, and then climbed up it. Stooping down on the top of the wall, he investigated to make sure it was not spread with live wires.

Below him other ladders were thrown up powerfully and other figures were seen wriggling up in the darkness. More than had been arranged at the meeting of leaders had come. At different places the stones simply struck the concrete wall with a sharp sound and then bounced back again to the throwers’ feet, only to be thrown up once more. At this rate we shall soon be discovered, thought Yamaguchi, but he could not call down to tell them to be quieter. If he did, they’d be discovered still sooner.

A fierce excitement was visible in the actions of those below him. They were resolved to do or die. If they remained docile any longer, they’d simply be slaughtered by Uematsu. Uematsu’s many allies were like a pack of wolves; if one of their number howled all the others would come racing to his aid. The workers were hopelessly trapped. Yamaguchi knew that from long experience. They had no allies but themselves. But they did not want to die like sheep at the slaughter-house. They wanted to have at least one crack at the heads of the wolves.

Yamaguchi hung on to the edge of the wall, and then as lightly as he could jumped down on the other side. When he landed, the whole weight