reg'lar in the trade. But--well, in come a customer, sir, a woman as
didn't rightly know what she wanted; and she went out without buying,
and Mr. Boxon he see it, and he come up to me and calls me the foulest
name he could turn his tongue to. And so--well, sir, there was
unpleasantness, as they say--"

He hesitated, Warburton eyeing him with a twinkle of subdued amusement.

"A quarrel, in fact, eh?"

"It did about come to that, sir!"

"You lost your temper, of course."

"That's about the truth, sir."

"And Boxon turned you out?"

Allchin looked hurt.

"Well, sir, I've no doubt he'd have liked to, but I was a bit
beforehand with him. When I see him last, he was settin' on the
pavement, sir, rubbin' his 'ead."

In spite of his inclination to laugh, Will kept a grave countenance.

"I'm afraid that kind of thing won't do, Allchin. You'll be in serious
trouble one of these days."

"That's what my wife says, sir. I know well enough as it's hard on her,
just after we've lost the baby--as perhaps Mrs. Hopper'll have told
you, sir."

"I was very sorry to hear it, Allchin."

"Thank you, sir. You've always something kind to say. And I'm that
vexed, because I was getting on well with paying my debts. But Mr.
Boxon, sir, he's many a time made me that mad that I've gone out into
the back yard and kicked the wall till my toes were sore, just to ease
my feelings, like. To tell the truth, sir, I don't think he's ever
rightly sober, and I've heard others say the same. And his business is
fallin' off, something shockin'. Customers don't like to be insulted;
that's only natural. He's always going down to Kempton Park, or Epsom,
or some such place. They do say as he lost 'undreds of pounds at
Kempton Park last week. It's my opinion the shop can't go on much
longer. Well, sir, I thought I just ought to come and tell you the
truth of things, and I won't disturb you no longer. I shall do my best
to find another place."

Warburton's impulse was to offer temporary work in Little Ailie Street,
but he remembered that the business was not in a position to increase
expenses, and that the refinery might any day be closed.

"All right," he answered cheerily, "let me know how you get on."

When Allchin's heavy footsteps had echoed away down the stairs, Mrs.
Hopper answered her master's call.

"I suppose they have a little money to go on with?" Warburton inquired.
"I mean, enough for a week or so."

"Yes, I think they have that,