"
"They won't let us in to find out. How are we going to find out?"
"Why, I was thinking of doing something in that line--thinking about it
just before you came in."
Lanigan looked relieved, also a bit ashamed. "Excuse me for being pretty
hot, Mr. Morrison. But the boys have been saying we couldn't depend on
anybody to stand up for the people. By gad! I told 'em we'd come to you.
Says I, 'All-Wool Morrison is our kind!'"
"I hope the name fits the goods, Joe! Suppose you boys keep all quiet and
calm for the good name of the city and let me find out how the thing
stands?"
He was assured of support and compliance by a chorus of voices.
Lanigan trailed the chorus in solo. "Does that settle it? I'll say it
does. It's up to you--the whole thing. You've given us the word of a
square man! We can depend on you. And we thank you for taking the full
responsibility for seeing to it that the people get theirs--and not in the
neck, either!"
But the mayor looked like a man who had stretched forth his hand to take a
kitten and had had an elephant tossed at him. "It's a pretty big contract,
that! See here, Joe--"
"You're good for any contract you take on, sir! We should worry after what
you promise!" He whirled on his heels.
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