"You may never get such another chance," put in Avery, who looked annoyed.
"That's just it," said Roger, still speaking to Sparling. "I've been all for No. 1 as long as I can remember. I'm never likely to be able to do much, but here's a chance, I may do something. If I don't do it, I suppose it would just show that I'm not in real earnest. And don't be afraid for me, Jack. I have a plan, and I've saved enough to set it going. I shall do very fairly."
"Ay, lad," said Jack. And he stretched out a grimy paw and gave Roger's equally grimy paw a hearty shake, and then turned and walked back to his work.
Avery broke into a laugh, in which there was a queer mixture of unwilling admiration and annoyance.
"It's well for you, Roger, I do believe, that you'll be parted from him, he's making you as great a fool as he is himself; but there, you'll say you wish to be just such another, I suppose. All I have to say is,—Remember, if you give it up, you must stand by what you've done; I won't allow another change."
And Avery walked off.
"You be off now," said Roger to Deasy. "Here's sixpence, go and get some food, and come to work in the morning."
Deasy, who had passed the last ten minutes in staring hard at every one in turn, now stared harder than ever at Roger. Finally, his face began to work, and big tears ran down his dirty cheeks, making strange tracks of whiteness in the grey tint his countenance presented.
"Roger—Roger Read! I'm—not good at saying it—but I feel it, I do! I'll never forget—"
Here Roger was loudly called by half a dozen voices at once.