t. He was engaged in the
intellectual task of filling up the ink-pots out of a big stone jar, and
doing it very badly too, as the small puddles of ink on nearly every
desk testified. He knew me at once, and greeted me with great alacrity.

"Hullo! young 'un, here you are. Look sharp and fill up the rest of
these, do you hear? and mind you don't make any spills!"

I proceeded to obey, while Mr Crow, quite a grandee now that there was
some one in the office junior to himself, stood, with his legs apart,
before the fireplace and read the _Times_, giving an occasional glance
at my proceedings.

"Hold hard!" he cried, presently, in an excited manner, when, having
filled all the ink-pots along one of the desks, I was proceeding to
attack on the other side of the screen; "hold hard! you don't want to
fill up for the Imports, I say. They can do that themselves!"

Of course I agreed with him in this, and was just about restoring the
jar to Mr Crow's custody, when Jack Smith entered the office.

"Hullo! Jack," I cried, feeling quite an old hand; "here you are.
Isn't it fine?"

"Rather," said Jack, solemnly, returning my grasp. "I _am_ glad."

"So am I. I was in such a fright when--"

"Now then, you young 'un there," said Crow, looking up from his paper,
"don't go dawdling, I say. Just stick fresh nibs in all the Export
pens, and look sharp about it, too."

"I'll help you, Fred," said Jack Smith, as I proceeded to obey.

"No, you won't!" said Crow; "we don't want you messing about in our
department. You stick to your Imports."

It was evident Exports and Imports at Messrs. Merrett, Barnacle, and
Company's were not on absolutely brotherly terms. Anyhow I had to stick
in the nibs unassisted.

Presently the other clerks began to drop in, among them Mr Doubleday,
who was very witty on the subject of my appointment, and told Wallop he
understood I was to be admitted into partnership next week, and would
then sign all the cheques.

"All right!" said Wallop; "I'll put off asking for a rise till next
week."

I was presumptuous enough to laugh at this, which greatly offended both
the magnates. Doubleday ordered me to my desk instantly.

"Get on with your work, do you hear? and don't stand grinning there!"

"What had I better do?" I inquired, mildly.

"Do?" said Mr Doubleday, proceeding to take up his pen and settle
himself to work; "I'll let you know what to-- Look here. Crow," he
broke off, in a rage, poi