"We call ourselves the diggers clubs, and we go in chiefly for athletics, And we do spend most of the time in athletics. But those that aren't diggers can join, if a pal brings them in and vouches for them."
Richard was now feeling rather out of it. Returned soldiers, and clubs, and athletics—all unnatural things to him. Was he going to join in with this? How could he? He was so different from it all.
"And how do you work—I mean together?" he faltered.
"We have a special lodge of the leaders and lieutenants and secretaries from all the clubs, and again in every lodge they choose a master, that's the highest; and then a Jack, he's like a lieutenant; and a Teller, he's the sort of secretary and president. We have lodges in all the biggish places. And then all the masters of the lodges of the five states of Australia keep in touch, and they choose five masters who are called the Five, and these five agree among themselves which order shall stand in: first, second, third, fourth, and fifth. When once they've chosen the first, then he has two votes towards the placing of the other four. And so they settle it. And then they grade the five Jacks and the five Tellers. I tell it you just in rough, you know."
"Yes. And what are you?"
"I'm a master."
Richard was still trying to see himself in connection with it all. He tried to piece together all that Jack had been letting off at him. Returned soldiers' clubs, chiefly athletics, with a more or less secret core to each club, and all the secret cores working together secretly in all the state under one chief head, and apparently with military penalties for any transgression. It was not a bad idea. And the aim, apparently, a sort of revolution and a seizing of political power.
"How long have you been started?" he asked.
"About eighteen months—nearly two years altogether."
Somers was silent, very much impressed, though his heart felt heavy. Why did his heart feel so heavy? Politics—conspiracy—political power: it was all so alien to him. Somehow, in his soul he always meant something quite different, when he thought of action along with other
