‘They let me have it? No. I made it myself, and the ten shillings you gave me paid for all the materials.’
‘Wonderful!’ said George. And all that evening as they walked about he felt inclined to stop the Ladies and gentlemen in the street and exclaim, ‘I say, look at this bonnet. Did you ever see anything like it? My wife made it, and it only cost ten shillings. Isn’t she clever?’
George’s respect for his wife increased every day as he saw the marvels her tiny fingers accomplished. He wished Smith & Co. could see her. Once he did go so far as to take Smith & Co. an apple turnover which his wife had made; but it looked so nice that, Smith & Co. (per Mr. Brooks, the manager) not arriving till late, George ate it himself.
On the day following the momentous interview between the partners in the firm of Smith & Co., George presented himself at the office in Gutter Lane.
Mr. Brooks arrived a little later than usual, and busied himself with some papers at his desk for a while.
Just before eleven be took a cheque from his poeket-book, exclaiming, ‘By Jove! Smith, I’d nearly forgotten it!’
‘Forgotten what, sir?’ said George.
‘Why, I received a cheque from Grigg and Limpet yesterday afternoon to buy tallow with for their client on the open market to-day.’
‘It isn’t too late to buy tallow, is it?’ asked George, innocently.
‘No, but they only take gold or notes on the market. You must run and cash this at once and bring the money back here. It’s most important we should operate early.’