Vandover was sitting back on his heels to rest his back, waiting till
the others should finish.

"Well, all through?" inquired the burnisher in his thin voice. Vandover
nodded. But his wife was not satisfied until she had herself carefully
peered into the cubby, while her husband held a lighted match for her.
"Ah, that's something like," she said finally.

It was nearly seven. Vandover prepared to go home a second time. The
little boy stood in front of him, looking down at him as he made his
brush and rags and broom into a bundle; the boy slowly eating his bread
and butter the while. In one corner of the room an excited whispered
conference was going on between the burnisher, his wife, and his fat
sister-in-law. From time to time one heard such expressions as
"Overtime, you know--not afraid of work--ah! think I'd better, looks as
though he needed it." In a moment the two women went out, calling in
vain for the little boy to follow, and the burnisher crossed the room
toward Vandover. Vandover was on his knees tying up his bundle with a
bit of bale rope.

"I'm sorry," began the burnisher awkwardly. "We didn't mean to keep you
from your supper--here," he went on, holding out a quarter to Vandover,
"here, you take this, that's all right--you worked overtime for us,
that's all right. Come along, Oscar; come along, m'son."

Vandover put the quarter in his vest pocket.

"Thank you, sir," he said.

The burnisher hurried away, calling back, "Come along, m'son; don't keep
your mama waiting for supper." But the little boy remained very
interested in watching Vandover, still on the floor, tying the last
knots. As he finished, he glanced up. For an instant the two remained
there motionless, looking into each other's eyes, Vandover on the floor,
one hand twisted into the bale rope about his bundle, the little boy
standing before him eating the last mouthful of his bread and butter.

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VANDOVER AND THE BRUTE***

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