“Oh, no,” said Reginald, “I haven’t even mentioned it yet at home.”
Mr Medlock laughed.
“Well, if you come to Liverpool you’ll have to tell them something about it. See, here’s a list of our directors, your mother may recognise some of the names. But beyond your mother and brother don’t talk about it yet, as the Corporation is only just starting.”
Reginald heartily concurred in this caution, and promised to act on it, and then after a friendly farewell hastened back to the Rocket office. The clock pointed nearly a quarter past two when he entered.
He was not the sort of fellow to slink in when no one was looking. In fact, he had such a detestation of that sort of thing that he went to the other extreme, and marched ostentatiously past Mr Durfy’s table, as though to challenge his observation.
If that was his intention he was not disappointed.
“Oh,” said the overseer, with a return of the old sneer, which had been dormant ever since the night Reginald had knocked him down. “You have come, have you? And you know the hour, do you?”
“Yes, it’s a quarter past two,” said Reginald.
“Is it?” sneered Mr Durfy, in his most offensive way.
“Yes, it is,” replied the boy, hotly.