"Come along up stairs with me, Worthington; I want yer ter help me lug some cloth down. I'll show yer where ter find it; then yer kin git it yerself erlone. Yer look stout 'nuff ter handle it 's well as me."
Each shouldered a web of cloth which made a bundle about two feet through and six feet long—rather a heavy burden for a boy; still, Fred handled it easily and quickly, deposited it by the flockers, and turned to his superior for further orders.
"Take out them pieces next; they have run long enough. Carl will help you about doing it; then you may go up and bring down two more pieces."
With these orders he vanished, and the boys went to their work.
"How long do these have to be run?" asked Fred of the little humpback.
"About three hours. If they stayed in longer than that they would get too heavy."
"This light stuff don't make them so very much heavier, does it?"
"Oh, yes; we can beat in flocks enough to double the weight of the cloth."
"Is that so?" exclaimed the new hand incredulously; and then added, after a moment's thought, "But I should think they would all tumble out."
"I suppose they would if the cloth wasn't fulled as soon as we get through with it; but that sort of sets them in."