Chapter 71

“You go down to the dock and pay everybody double wages. And you tell ’em it’s a holiday. You tell ’em there’s free booze at the Gay-Cat, and we’re going to celebrate and have piano music and a fiddle. “Tell the lumber-jacks and the Bonnet Bay bunch to fetch their girls over in Bert’s launch—” “Barney!” “Yes, Sam.” “Do you realise what you’re a-doin’ of?” “I guesso. I’m starting a brand new hell. We’ll have the old one looking like Brooklyn on a Sunday morning in July.” After a silence: “I get you,” nodded Mr. Pott…