“Then what do you mean by coming at twenty-eight past, eh, you young ruffian? Stay outside the door till the right time.”
Smith obeyed solemnly, and for exactly two minutes remained outside. At the end of that period he returned.
Mr Doubleday, evidently perplexed for the moment how to get a rise out of him, announced him to the partners, and I saw him vanish into the inner-room.
“I say, Wallop,” said Doubleday, when he had disappeared, “I hope they’re not going to take on a couple of them.”
My heart bounded as I listened. The bare suggestion was delightful.
“I hope not,” said Wallop. “I don’t see what they want one for.”
“Oh, I do,” said Crow (who I supposed had hitherto been the junior), “he’ll be jolly useful, you know, running errands, and all that.”
“All I can say is, unless he does it better than you, he’ll be very little use.”
“There you go,” said Crow, in a sulk. “The more a fellow does for you the more you growl. You see if I get you any more cheap neckties. I’m always ashamed, as it is, to ask for ninepenny sailor’s knots and one-and-twopenny kid gloves at the shop.”
“Tell the truth—they’re one-and-three. I suppose you get one-and-twopenny and pocket the odd penny!”