“Hold hard!” he cried, presently, in an excited manner, when, having filled all the ink-pots along one of the desks, I was proceeding to attack on the other side of the screen; “hold hard! you don’t want to fill up for the Imports, I say. They can do that themselves!”
Of course I agreed with him in this, and was just about restoring the jar to Mr Crow’s custody, when Jack Smith entered the office.
“Hullo! Jack,” I cried, feeling quite an old hand; “here you are. Isn’t it fine?”
“Rather,” said Jack, solemnly, returning my grasp. “I am glad.”
“So am I. I was in such a fright when—”
“Now then, you young ’un there,” said Crow, looking up from his paper, “don’t go dawdling, I say. Just stick fresh nibs in all the Export pens, and look sharp about it, too.”
“I’ll help you, Fred,” said Jack Smith, as I proceeded to obey.
“No, you won’t!” said Crow; “we don’t want you messing about in our department. You stick to your Imports.”
It was evident Exports and Imports at Messrs Merrett, Barnacle, and Company’s were not on absolutely brotherly terms. Anyhow I had to stick in the nibs unassisted.
Presently the other clerks began to drop in, among them Mr Doubleday, who was very witty on the subject of my appointment, and told Wallop he understood I was to be admitted into partnership next week, and would then sign all the cheques.