“I’m very sorry, sir,” I said, encouraged by his quiet, kind way, “but I don’t know how.”
“Haven’t you been in a printing-office before?”
“No, sir.”
“And never distributed type?”
“No, sir.”
“How absurd! Who set you to do it?”
“Mr Grimstone, sir.”
“But does he know that you have never handled type?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Ass?” he muttered. “Here, come along with me, my man. No; better not, perhaps. Leave that packet alone, my boy. There, lay it down. Stand here and try and learn the case.”