The question took William by storm: he was at a loss what to answer. He would have been equally at a loss had he been accorded a whole week to deliberate upon it. He looked foolish, and said he could not tell.
"Would you like the business?" pursued Mr. Ashley.
"I like the business very well, sir, now I'm used to it. But I could not hope ever to get on to be a master."
"There's no knowing what you may get on to be, if you are steady and persevering. Masters don't begin at the top of the tree; they begin at the bottom and work up to it. At least, that is the case with a great many. In becoming an apprentice you would occupy a better position in the manufactory than you do now."
"Joe Stubbs is an apprentice, is he not, sir?"
"I will explain it to you, if you do not understand," said Mr. Ashley. "Joe Stubbs is apprenticed to one branch of the business, the cutting; John Braithwait is an apprentice to the staining, and so on. These lads expect to remain workmen all their lives, working at their own peculiar branch. You would not be apprenticed to any one branch, but to the whole, with a view to becoming hereafter a manager or a master; in the same manner that I might apprentice my son, were he intended for the business."
William thought he should like this. Suddenly his countenance fell.
"What now?" asked Mr. Ashley.
"I have heard, sir, that the apprentices do not earn wages at first. I—I am afraid we could not well do at home without mine."
"You need not concern yourself with what you hear, or with what others earn or don't earn. I should give you eight shillings a-week, instead of four, and you would retain your evenings for study, as you do now. I do not see any different or better opening for you," continued Mr. Ashley; "but should any arise hereafter, through your mother's relatives, or from any other channel, I would not stand in the way of your advancement, but would consent to cancel your indentures. Do you understand what I have been saying?"