“Obey orders.” He meant it exactly, and he looked it.
Grosvenor stared at him and then lost himself in thought. At length he turned to Tommy a face utterly expressionless, but there was a suggestion of play-acting about it that made him think of Mr. Thompson, to whom an inscrutable face came so natural.
Grosvenor said, “I want you to listen.”
“Yes, sir”; and Tommy looked expectant.
“That's all. You will sit in this office all day and listen.”
“Very well, sir.” Tommy's eyes looked intelligently at Mr. Grosvenor, who thereupon pointed to a desk in a corner of the room.
Tommy sat down, looked at the empty pigeonholes, opened a drawer, saw some scratch-pads there, took out one and laid it on the desk. Then he looked to see if his lead-pencil was sharpened. It was.
Mr. Grosvenor, who was watching him, smiled.
“How do you like your new job, Tommy?”
“Very much.”