late again, you need not take the trouble to go
to your desk; just come here. Your cheque will be immediately made out.
Saves time, you know--your time and mine--and time, you perceive, in
this office represents money."

Mr. Bates' voice lost none of its kindly interest, but it had grown
somewhat in intensity; the last sentence was uttered with his face close
to his desk.

Cameron stood a moment in uncertainty, gazing at the bald head before
him; then, finding nothing to reply, he turned about to behold Jimmy
and his lanky friend executing an animated war pantomime which they
apparently deemed appropriate to the occasion.

With face ablaze and teeth set Cameron went to his desk, to the extreme
disappointment of Jimmy and the lanky youth, who fell into each other's
arms, apparently overcome with grief.

For half an hour the office hummed with the noise of subdued voices and
clicked with the rapid fire of the typewriters. Suddenly through the hum
Mr. Bates' voice was heard, clear, calm, and coldly penetrating:

"Mr. Jacobs!"

The old, white-haired clerk started up from Cameron's desk, and began
in a confused and gentle voice to explain that he was merely giving some
hints to the new clerk.

"Mr. Jacobs," said Mr. Bates, "I cannot hear you, and you are wasting my
time!"

"He was merely showing me how to make these entries!" said Cameron.

"Ah! Indeed! Thank you, Mr. Cameron! Though I believe Mr. Jacobs has not
yet lost the power of lucid speech. Mr. Jacobs, I believe you know the
rules of this office; your fine will be one-quarter of a day."

"Thank you!" said Mr. Jacobs, hurriedly resuming his desk.

"And, Mr. Cameron, if you will kindly bring your work to me, I shall do
my best to enlighten you in regard to the complex duty of entering your
freight receipts."

An audible snicker ran through the delighted staff. Cameron seized his
ledger and the pile of freight bills, and started for Mr. Bates' desk,
catching out of the corner of his eye the pantomime of Jimmy and the
lanky one, which was being rendered with vigor and due caution.

For a few moments Cameron stood at the manager's desk till that
gentleman should be disengaged, but Mr. Bates was skilled in the
fine art of reducing to abject humility an employee who might give
indications of insubordination. Cameron's rage grew with every passing
moment.

"Here is the ledger, Sir!" he said at length.

But Mr. Bates was so completely absorbed in the busine