He was told bluntly that working men did
not mean to exchange one despot for another, and that they were just
as good as he was. Any other man would have thrown up his commission
in disgust, but not so Major Maitland. He persevered unflaggingly,
although a sub-committee had been appointed to act with him and check
his proceedings. The secretary of this very sub-committee, who was
also treasurer, was one of the causes of the failure of the
enterprise, for when the march began neither he nor the funds with
which he had been entrusted could be found. After the club meetings
in the evening there was often an adjournment to Caillaud's lodgings,
where the Major, Zachariah, Caillaud, and Pauline sat up till close
upon midnight. One evening there was an informal conference of this
kind prior to the club meeting on the following night. The Major was
not present, for he was engaged in making some arrangements for the
commissariat on the march. He had always insisted on it that they
were indispensable, and he had been bitterly opposed the week before
by some of his brethren, who were in favour of extempore foraging
which looked very much like plunder.
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