It was nothing like university life. At last Jacob felt he was doing important things. He was making a difference. There was thrill. There was promise. He and the comrades that had come with him to Whitby had been distributing pamphlets to people who seemed open to their message and had extended invitations to come to their rally meeting this evening in the house that they had hired. It was harder to find people sympathetic to their message than in bigger cities were there were more laborers. The fishing community had to work hard for little money and their living conditions were tough, but the people were not yet 'owned' by the big companies. And so they had focused on living conditions instead. The slum-yards were terrible, with open drains, too many people in small, damp cottages, and diseases spreading like fire. Better housing conditions, a fairer rate for their fish, healthcare. They did not seem to care much about education, and so he and his friends had left that out as well, when speaking to the fishing community. They used that, and fair wages, and more legal protection, when talking to the other poor of this town.

One of the comrades was standing on a table, preaching a message about better living conditions, and how it was the government, and the wealthy owners of capital who controlled that that kept circumstances like this. Jacob listened, while he watched the group of people that had gathered. His heart swelled. This was life!