Another of the men plucked at him from behind.
"Sir, when thee was a poor lad I lent thee a rug to sleep on; I doan't grudge 'ee getting on; you was born for a gentleman, sure-ly.

But Master Fletcher be a hard man." "And a just one," persisted John.

"You that work for him, did he ever stint you of a halfpenny?
If you had come to him and said, 'Master, times are hard, we can't live upon our wages,' he might--I don't say that he would--but he MIGHT even have given you the food you tried to steal." "D'ye think he'd give it us now ?" And Jacob Baines, the big, gaunt, savage fellow, who had been the ringleader--the same, too, who had spoken of his "little 'uns"-- came and looked steadily in John's face.
"I knew thee as a lad; thee'rt a young man now, as will be a father some o' these days.

Oh! Mr.Halifax, may 'ee ne'er want a meal o' good meat for the missus and the babbies at home, if ee'll get a bit o' bread for our'n this day." "My man, I'll try." He called me aside, explained to me, and asked my advice and consent, as Abel Fletcher's son, to a plan that had come into his mind.

It was to write orders, which each man presenting at our mill, should receive a certain amount of flour.
"Do you think your father would agree ?" "I think he would." "Yes," John added, pondering--"I am sure he would.