Collins persuaded himself that they could not do without him at home, and so he went to see the foreman of the work he was doing away from home, to tell him that his wife was ill, and he could not leave again for the whole week, especially as Jessie had sprained her ankle and could not get up and down stairs.
"Well, who can you get to go in your place?" said the foreman. "You told me you didn't mind being away from home, but very few of the fellows like it," added the man.
Collins scratched his head. "There's Brown," he said at last.
"Brown! But I thought you said you would never work with Brown, as he didn't work fair with his mate!" and the foreman looked keenly at Collins as he spoke.
The man fidgeted from one leg to the other, and looked very uncomfortable.
"Brown is the only chap in the shop that understands the work we are doing over there," he said at last.
"Just what I said when it begun; but you gave the fellow such a bad name, that—"
"Well, you see, he had been ill, and perhaps he was weak and not up to the mark," interrupted Collins, who did not want to hear any more of that former talk he had had with his foreman.
After a pause the foreman said, "Well, you will have to go and arrange it with Brown yourself, as it is for your accommodation; but make him understand that the pay is better, and that I shall expect him to stick to it until we have finished, for I don't care to change men in the middle of a ticklish job like that." These last words were said that Collins might understand that if he gave up this job he could not take it on again.
"All right, I know what you mean," he said. "Shall I tell Brown to come round and see you to-night or to-morrow?"