Cheetham examined them, and said, “Well, they are clever fellows. I declare these come very near Little's: call him down and let us draw him.”
Bayne called to Henry, and that brought him down, and several more, who winded something.
“Just look at these,” said Cheetham.
Little colored: he saw the finger of the Unions at once, and bristled all over with caution and hostility.
“I see them, sir. They are very fair specimens of cutlery; and there are only about twenty tools wanting to make a complete set; but there is one defect in them as carving-tools.”
“What is that?”
“They are useless. You can't carve wood with them. None but a practical carver can design these tools, and then he must invent and make the steel molds first. Try and sell them in London or Paris, you'll soon find the difference. Mr. Bayne, I wonder you should call me from my forge to examine 'prentice-work.” And, with this, he walked off disdainfully, but not quite easy in his mind, for he had noticed a greedy twinkle in Cheetham's eye.
The next day all the grinders in Mr. Cheetham's employ, except the scissors-grinders, rose, all of a sudden, like a flock of partridges, and went out into the road.
“What is up now?” inquired Bayne. The answer was, their secretaries had sent for them.
They buzzed in the road, for a few minutes, and then came back to work.