and its
noise, its hilarious laughter and its coarse-thrown jests. Cleek sighed
as he turned toward it.

"Now for it, boy," he said softly, and then started to whistle and to
laugh alternately, making his way across the cobbles to the brightly-lit
little pub. Someone ran to the doorway and peered out at sound of his
voice, trying to penetrate the darkness and discover who the stranger
might be thus gaily employed.

Cleek sang out a greeting.

"Good evenin' to yer, matey! This 'ers's Bill Jones and 'is pal. 'Ow,
I'll tyke the 'ighroad, and you'll tyke the laow road! and I'll be in
Scotland afore yer'.... 'Ere, Sammie, me lad, come along o' me an' warm
yer witals. I could drink the sea--strite I could!"

He heard the man in the doorway laugh, and then he beckoned to him to
come along. And so they entered the "Pig and Whistle," and were greeted
enthusiastically by the red-headed barmaid, while many voices went up to
greet them, showing that already they had got on the right side of the
men who were to be their fellow-workers.

"Gen'leman 'ere yet?" queried Cleek, jerking his thumb in the direction
where Borkins had stood the night before. "I've what you calls an
appointment wiv 'im, yer know. And.... 'Ere the blighter is! Good
evenin', sir. Pleased ter see yer again, though lookin' a bit pale abaht
the gills, if yer don't mind my sayin' so."

"And so would you be, if you'd been through the ordeal I 'ave this
afternoon," snapped out Borkins in reply. "It's a beastly job a-tellin'
people what yer seen and 'eard. It is indeed!"

"'Arder ter tell 'em wot you _'aven't_ seen an' 'eard, all the syme,
matey," threw in Cleek. "Done that meself, I 'as--bit of sleight-o'-'and
what they'd pulled me up for out Whitechapel way when I was a kid. Seein'
the master ternight, ain't we, sir?"

Borkins slopped down his tankard of beer and wiped his mouth before
replying.

"Seen him already," he answered with a touch of asperity, "and told
'im about you both, I 'ave. 'E says you're ter go up to the foreman
termorrow, say I sent you. Say the master 'as passed you, that'll be
all right. Couple o' quid a week, and the chance of a rise if you're
circumspect and keeps yer mouth closed."

"That's my gyme all right, guv'nor!" struck in Dollops shrilly, clapping
his tankard down upon the bar with a loud bang. "Close as 'ouses we are,
guv'nor. An' me mate's like a hoyster."

"Well, mind you remember it!" retorted Borkins sharply. "Or it'l