“Oh, I don’t know ’bout friends,” he said. “I don’t want to be friends, ’cause I’m not like you, but let’s keep together. I’ll do anything you want, and I’ll always stick up for you, same as you did for me.”
“I should be an ungrateful brute if I did part from you, Esau, for I shall never forget how kind you and your mother have always—”
“Don’t! don’t! don’t!” he cried, putting his fingers in his ears. “Now you’re beginning to preach at me, and you know I hate that. I say, let’s call at the auction-rooms and say good-bye to old Dingle. Dempster won’t be there.”
I hesitated, and then hurried down the next street with Esau, for I thought I should like to say a friendly word to the porter, who had always been pleasant and kind, little thinking how it would influence my future career.
He was just inside the long sale-room, and he came out to us directly to shake hands gleefully.
“All right, lads,” he cried. “I know all about it. I was there, and heard every word. Serve him precious well right! Ah, you’re lucky ones. Wish I was out of his service. What are you both going to do?”
“I don’t know,” I said sadly. “Esau here wants to be a soldier.”
“Yes, he always was mad that way. Don’t you listen to him.”
“Better be a soldier than old Demp’s clerk.”
“Don’t you be too sure, my lad,” said Dingle. “There are such things as drill-sergeants in the army, and they tell me they’re a kind of Double Dempsters. It’s awkward for you, Master Gordon. You see, you’ll have to send to the guv’nor for a reference when you try for another place, and he won’t give you one, see if he does.”