tan' the business? Happen the
marster won't want you. Happen you'll 'ave ter move on, I'm a-thinkin'."

"Happen I won't!" retorted Cleek, with a loud guffaw.

"S'welp me, you chaps, ain't none uv you a-goin' ter lend a 'and to a
mate wot's out uv a job? What's the blooming mystery? An' where's the
bloomin' boss?"

"Better see 'im in the mawning," supplemented Black Whiskers,
truculently. "He's busy now. Works all night sometimes, 'e does. But
there's a vacancy or two, I know, for factory 'ands. Bin a bit of
riotin' an' splittin' uv state secrets. But the fellers wot did it are
gorn now"--he laughed a trifle grimly--"won't never come troublin' 'ere
again. Pretty strict, marster is. But good work and good pay."

"And yer carnt arsk fer more, that's wot I ses!" threw in Dollops in his
shrill voice.

Now Cleek, all this time, had been edging more and more in the direction
of Borkins and his sinister companion who were standing a little apart,
but nevertheless were interested spectators of all that went on.

Having at last obtained his object, he cast about for a subject of
conversation and picked the barmaid whose rallies met with the approval
of the entire company, and who was at that moment carrying on a spirited
give-and-take conversation with the redoubtable Dollops.

"Bit of a sport, ain't she, guv'nor?" Cleek remarked to Borkins, with a
jerk of his head in the woman's direction. The butler whirled round and
fixed him with a stare of haughty indignation.

"Here, you keep your fingers off your betters!" he retorted angrily, for
Cleek had dug a friendly elbow into his ribs.

"Oh, orl right! No offence meant! Thought perhaps _you_ wuz the boss, by
the look of yer. But doubtless you ain't nuffink ter do wiv the factory
at all. Private gent, I take it."

"Then you take it wrong!" retorted Borkins, sharply. "And I _have_
something ter do with the factory, if you wants ter know. Like ter show
your good manners, I might be able to get you a job--an' one for the
little 'un as well, though I don't care for Londoners as a rule. There's
another of 'em up at the place where I lives. I'm 'ead butler to Sir
Nigel Merriton of Merriton Towers, if you're anxious to know who _I_ am."
His chest swelled visibly. "In private I dabbles a little in--other
things. And I've influence. You men can keep your mouths shut?"

"Dumb as a blinkin' dorg!" threw in Dollops, who was close by Cleek's
side, and both men nodded vigorously.

"W