"Well," said a smutty-faced old man who was bustling about the office and whom Billy rightly took for the Coal Man.
"How do you do?" said Billy.
"Tired, very tired," answered the Coal Man. "Worked to death. I have a rush order for an eruption of Vociferous and it's keeping my alchemist and myself busy day and night, while the coal stokers and furnace tenders threaten to strike for lower wages."
The Coal Man.
"That's too bad," said Billy sympathetically.
"Not a bit of it. I like the work. I suppose you want to go through the works."
"If it's not too much trouble."
"I don't know whether you will find it too much trouble or not; you will have to decide that for yourself."