"They look like dreadful hard reading," said Jeduthun, glancing at the dictionary of anatomical terms. "I don't suppose I could make head or tail of them, but I'm glad if you like them, and I'm glad you had such a pleasant day."
[CHAPTER VIII.]
EBEN TRIES TO SERVE TWO MASTERS.
"SEEMS to me, Eben, you're getting kind of scatter-brained lately."
"What now?" asked Eben, not very good-naturedly.
"What now? Well, not so much now as yesterday," replied Jeduthun. "You gave Bassett's account to Williams and his to Bassett, and you dropped the wrench and hammer out in the shed, just where you'd been using them, I suppose, and what you've done with that 'ere stencil-plate maybe you know, but I don't. I've been looking for it for half the morning. Did you post the letters last night?"
Eben started and coloured. He had forgotten to put the letters in the office, and had brought them back in his pocket.
"Now, just look here, Eben, I want to talk to you!" said Jeduthun, seriously. "This ain't going to answer, my boy—not at all. You ain't doing right either by the boss or by yourself. You have always been a first-rate boy, but I can't say you have done well the past two weeks."
"I don't know what I have done so very bad," said Eben, trying to speak carelessly. "I'm sorry I forgot the letters, but I can go and put them in now."
"Now is just too late. Mr. Bassett is gone, and the letters will have to wait till to-morrow. It isn't so much what you have done as what you haven't, Eben, which is most commonly the case. I've picked up and covered up after you as well as I could, but I can't help you unless you help yourself, and besides, I don't know why I should. Mr. Antis didn't like it at all when he heard of the mistakes you made about the bills, and I'm afraid he'll be awful provoked when he finds out about the letters."