The weather gets colder. One sullen angry boy dumps his bucket too hard, and the checker says that he will not count it. The boy gets "smart," and the checker threatens to toss him out. The checker tries to bribe Jim to give him information. Jim says he will try for a price. The checker offers five dollars and a steady job. Jim follows the boy and listens to him tell about the strike and the reasons: the filthy bunk houses, the pay cut, the five percent house cut the grocery store takes and the general conditions. The boy acts as if he is one of the organizers. Jim reports to the checker that the kid is just "shooting off his face," (71) which is partly true.
A private detective moves in on Mac.....
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