It cannot be said that the anxious trio got much comfort from Mr. Sykes. He told them frankly that at the very best the litigation must be costly and prolonged, and that in the long run the Court would probably be guided by the weight and authority of the expert evidence.
"Now that means purse against purse. And I'm afraid, Mr. Pinder, that our guns are neither so many nor so heavy as our opponent's. And Wimpenny won't give us much rest."
One grain of consolation they did bear away with them, however. Mr. Sykes was able to assure them that there was small likelihood of the Court granting an _interim_ injunction.
"The Judge will know that to stop the work at the mill, even temporarily, would mean a probably irreparable loss. He won't prejudge the case on an interlocutary proceeding. That will give you time to turn yourself round, Mr. Pinder, and I should say your best plan would be to look out for a mill lower down the stream, _below_ Mr. Tinker's. Then perhaps you can have a fling at him some fine day."
"Eh! he's a deep 'un is Ned for all his quiet ways. Talks like a judge doesn't he? What's that word--inter summat?"
"An' just think 'at aw've cuffed that lad mony a time when aw've found him moonin abaat Fairbanks wi' a book i' his hand. It's just wonderful what education 'll do."
It did not remain a secret in Holmfirth that the new Co-op was in Chancery--name of dread import. _Omne ignotum pro magnifico_. The utmost that even the fairly well-informed could tell about Chancery was that it was a bottomless pit from which there was no escape, or a kind of legal den where the lawyers fed on the oysters called estates, flinging out the shells for the suitors to quarrel or get reconciled over. That was the utmost; but it was enough. Tom called a private meeting of all the hands and told them the facts. Their first feeling was one of blank dismay, their next and abiding feeling one of dogged resistance.
"It's the devil's plot, and hatched in hell," said the spokesman of the men who had money in the concern. "But we'll fight to the finish, an' bi what we'n heard abaat this here Chancery, th' finish 'll be abaat th' same time as th' Day o' Judgment."
The news reached Dorothy through the faithful Betty.