ight possibly have received it, had not Mr Durfy's entrance at that
particular moment sent the idlers back suddenly to their cases.

Reginald, either heedless of or unconcerned at the new arrival, remained
listlessly watching the operations of the compositor near him, an act of
audacity which highly exasperated the overseer, and furnished the key-
note for the day's entertainment.

For Mr Durfy, to use an expressive term, had "got out of bed the wrong
side" this morning. For the matter of that, after the blowing-up about
the back case-room, he had got into it the wrong side last night, so
that he was doubly perturbed in spirit, and a short conversation he had
just had with the manager below had not tended to compose him.

"Durfy," said that brusque official, as the overseer passed his open
door, "come in. What about those two lads I sent up to you yesterday?
Are they any good?"

"Not a bit," growled Mr Durfy; "fools both of them."

"Which is the bigger fool?"

"The old one."

"Then keep him for yourself--put him to composing, and send the other
one down here. Send him at once, Durfy, do you hear?"

With this considerately worded injunction in his ears it is hardly to be
wondered at that Mr Durfy was not all smiles as he entered the domain
which owned his sway.

His eye naturally lit on Reginald as the most suitable object on which
to relieve his feelings.

"Now, then, there," he called out. "What do you mean by interfering
with the men in their work?"

"I'm not interfering with anybody," said Reginald, looking up with
glowing cheeks, "I'm watching this man."

"Come out of it, do you hear me? Why don't you go about your own work?"

"I've been waiting here ten-minutes for you."

"Look here," said Mr Durfy, his tones getting lower as his passion
rose; "if you think we're going to keep you here to give us any of your
impudence you're mistaken; so I can tell you. It's bad enough to have a
big fool put into the place for charity, without any of your nonsense.
If I had my way I'd give you your beggarly eighteen shillings a week to
keep you away. Go to your work."

Reginald's eyes blazed out for a moment on the speaker in a way which
made Horace, who heard and saw all, tremble. But he overcame himself
with a mighty effort, and said,--

"Where?"

Mr Durfy glanced round the room.

"Young Gedge!" he called out.

A boy answered the summons.

"Clear that rack between you and Barber, and put up a pai