on
gives them, yet they won't pay the weekly contribution, without which
the Union can't exist. Go and find out who they are, and blow them up."

"What! me disturb the balmy?"

"Bother the balmy! I can't be worried with such trifles. I'm inventing."

"But, Mr. Little, would not the best way be for YOU just to stop it
quietly and peaceably out of their pay, and send it to Grotait?"

Little, after a moment's reflection, said he had no legal right to do
that. Besides, it was not his business to work the Saw-grinders' Union
for Grotait. "Who is this Mary Anne?"

"The saw-grinders, to be sure."

"What, all of them? Poor Mary Anne!"

He then inquired how he was to write back to her.

"Oh, write under cover to Grotait. He is Mary Anne, to all intents and
purposes."

"Well, write the jade a curt note, in both our names, and say we
disapprove the conduct of the defaulters, and will signify our
disapproval to them; but that is all we can do."

This letter was written, and Bayne made it as oleaginous as language
permits; and there the matter rested apparently.

But, as usual, after the polite came the phonetic. Next week Henry got a
letter thus worded:--

"MISTER LITL,--If them grinders of yores dosent send their money i shall
com an' fech strings if the devil stans i' t' road.

"MOONRAKER."

Mr. Little tossed this epistle contemptuously into the fire, and
invented on.

Two days after that he came to the works, and found the saw grinders
standing in a group, with their hands in their pockets.

"Well, lads, what's up?"

"Mary Anne has been here."

"And two pair of wheel-bands gone."

"Well, men, you know whose fault it is."

"Nay, but it is ---- hard my work should be stopped because another man
is in arrears with trade. What d'ye think to do, Governor? buy some more
bands?"

"Certainly not. I won't pay for your fault. It is a just claim, you
know. Settle it among yourselves."

With this he retired to his studio.

When the men saw he did not care a button whether his grindstones
revolved or not, they soon brought the defaulters to book. Bayne was
sent upstairs, to beg Mr. Little to advance the trade contributions, and
step the amount from the defaulters' wages.

This being settled, Little and Bayne went to the "Cutlers' Arms," and
Bayne addressed the barmaid thus, "Can we see Mary Anne?"

"He is shaving."

"Well, when she is shaved, we shall be in the parlor, tell her."

In a moment or two G