the ragged trousered philanthropists-第89章

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o　in　such　cases　he　took　it　there　first　and　had　his　dinner　when　he　came　back。

Sometimes　he　got　back　about　half　past　twelve；　and　it　was　necessary　for　him　to　take　out　another　lot　of　material　at　one　o'clock。

In　such　a　case　he　‘charged'　half　an　hour　overtime　on　his　time　sheet　…　he　used　to　get　twopence　an　hour　for　overtime。

Sometimes　Crass　sent　him　with　a　handcart　to　one　job　to　get　a　pair　of　steps　or　tressels；　or　a　plank；　or　some　material　or　other；　and　take　them　to　another　job；　and　on　these　occasions　it　was　often　very　late　before　he　was　able　to　take　his　meals。　　Instead　of　getting　his　breakfast　at　eight；　it　was　often　nearly　nine　before　he　got　back　to　the　shop；　and　frequently　he　had　to　go　without　dinner　until　half　past　one　or　two。

Sometimes　he　could　scarcely　manage　to　carry　the　pots　of　paint　to　the　jobs；　his　feet　were　so　hot　and　sore。　　When　he　had　to　push　the　cart　it　was　worse　still；　and　often　when　knocking…off　time　came　he　felt　so　tired　that　he　could　scarcely　manage　to　walk　home。

But　the　weather　was　not　always　hot　or　fine：　sometimes　it　was　quite　cold；　almost　like　winter；　and　there　was　a　lot　of　rain　that　summer。　　At　such　times　the　boy　frequently　got　wet　through　several　times　a　day　as　he　went　from　one　job　to　another；　and　he　had　to　work　all　the　time　in　his　wet　clothes　and　boots；　which　were　usually　old　and　out　of　repair　and　let　in　the　water。

One　of　the　worst　jobs　that　he　had　to　do　was　when　a　new　stock　of　white　lead　came　in。　　This　stuff　came　in　wooden　barrels　containing　two　hundredweight；　and　he　used　to　have　to　dig　it　out　of　these　barrels　with　a　trowel；　and　put　it　into　a　metal　tank；　where　it　was　kept　covered　with　water；　and　the　empty　barrels　were　returned　to　the　makers。

When　he　was　doing　this　work　he　usually　managed　to　get　himself　smeared　all　over　with　the　white　lead；　and　this　circumstance；　and　the　fact　that　he　was　always　handling　paint　or　some　poisonous　material　or　other　was　doubtless　the　cause　of　the　terrible　pains　he　often　had　in　his　stomach　…　pains　that　sometimes　caused　him　to　throw　himself　down　and　roll　on　the　ground　in　agony。

One　afternoon　Crass　sent　him　with　a　handcart　to　a　job　that　Easton；　Philpot；　Harlow　and　Owen　were　just　finishing。　　He　got　there　about　half　past　four　and　helped　the　men　to　load　up　the　things；　and　afterwards　walked　alongside　the　cart　with　them　back　to　the　shop。

On　the　way　they　all　noticed　and　remarked　to　each　other　that　the　boy　looked　tired　and　pale　and　that　he　seemed　to　limp：　but　he　did　not　say　anything；　although　be　guessed　that　they　were　talking　about　him。　　They　arrived　at　the　shop　a　little　before　knocking…off　time　…　about　ten　minutes　past　five。　　Bert　helped　them　to　unload；　and　afterwards；　while　they　were　putting　their　things　away　and　‘charging　up'　the　unused　materials　they　had　brought　back；　he　pushed　the　cart　over　to　the　shed　where　it　was　kept；　on　the　other　side　of　the　yard。　　He　did　not　return　to　the　shop　at　once　and　a　few　minutes　later　when　Harlow　came　out　into　the　yard　to　get　a　bucket　of　water　to　wash　their　hands　with；　he　saw　the　boy　leaning　on　the　side　of　the　cart；　crying；　and　holding　one　foot　off　the　ground。

Harlow　asked　him　what　was　the　matter；　and　while　he　was　speaking　to　him　the　others　came　out　to　see　what　was　up：　the　boy　said　he　had　rheumatism　or　growing　pains　or　something　in　his　leg；　‘just　here　near　the　knee'。　But　he　didn't　say　much；　he　just　cried　miserably；　and　turned　his　head　slowly　from　side　to　side；　avoiding　the　looks　of　the　men　because　he　felt　ashamed　that　they　should　see　him　cry。

When　they　saw　how　ill　and　miserable　he　looked；　the　men　all　put　their　hands　in　their　pockets　to　get　some　coppers　to　give　to　him　so　that　he　could　ride　home　on　the　tram。　　They　gave　him　fivepence　altogether；　more　than　enough　to　ride　all　the　way；　and　Crass　told　him　to　go　at　once　…　there　was　no　need　to　wait　till　half　past；　but　before　he　went　Philpot　got　a　small　glass　bottle　out　of　his　tool　bag　and　filled　it　with　oil　and　turps　…　two　of　turps　and　one　of　oil　…　which　he　gave　to　Bert　to　rub　into　his　leg　before　going　to　bed：　The　turps　…　he　explained　…　was　to　cure　the　pain　and　the　oil　was　to　prevent　it　from　hurting　the　skin。　　He　was　to　get　his　mother　to　rub　it　in　for　him　if　he　were　too　tired　to　do　it　himself。　　Bert　promised　to　observe　these　directions；　and；　drying　his　tears；　took　his　dinner　basket　and　limped　off　to　catch　the　tram。

It　was　a　few　days　after　this　that　Hunter　met　with　an　accident。　　He　was　tearing　off　on　his　bicycle　to　one　of　the　jobs　about　five　minutes　to　twelve　to　see　if　he　could　catch　anyone　leaving　off　for　dinner　before　before　the　proper　time；　and　while　going　down　a　rather　steep　hill　the　front　brake　broke　…　the　rubbers　of　the　rear　one　were　worn　out　and　failed　to　act　…　so　Misery　to　save　himself　from　being　smashed　against　the　railings　of　the　houses　at　the　bottom　of　the　hill；　threw　himself　off　the　machine；　with　the　result　that　his　head　and　face　and　hands　were　terribly　cut　and　bruised。　　He　was　so　badly　knocked　about　that　he　had　to　remain　at　home　for　nearly　three　weeks；　much　to　the　delight　of　the　men　and　the　annoyance　…　one　might　even　say　the　indignation　…　of　Mr　Rushton；　who　did　not　know　enough　about　the　work　to　make　out　estimates　without　assistance。　　There　were　several　large　jobs　to　be　tendered　for　at　the　same　time；　so　Rushton　sent　the　specifications　round　to　Hunter's　house　for　him　to　figure　out　the　prices；　and　nearly　all　the　time　that　Misery　was　at　home　he　was　sitting　up　in　bed；　swathed　in　bandages；　trying　to　calculate　the　probable　cost　of　these　jobs。　　Rushton　did　not　come　to　see　him；　but　he　sent　Bert　nearly　every　day；　either　with　some　specifications；　or　some　accounts；　or　something　of　that　sort；　or　with　a　note　inquiring　when　Hunter　thought　he　would　be　able　to　return　to　work。

All　sorts　of　rumours　became　prevalent　amongst　the　men　concerning　Hunter's　condition。　　He　had　‘broken　his　spiral　column'；　he　had　‘conjunction　of　the　brain'；　or　he　had　injured　his　‘innards'　and　would　probably　never　be　able　to　‘do　no　more　slave…drivin''。　　Crass　…　who　had　helped　Mr　Rushton　to　‘price　up'　several　small　jobs　…　began　to　think　it　might　not　be　altogether　a　bad　thing　for　himself　if　something　were　to　happen　to　Hunter；　and　he　began　to　put　on　side　and　to　assume　airs　of　authority。　　He　got　one　of　the　light…weights　to　assist　him　in　his　work　of　colourman　and　made　him　do　all　the　hard　work；　while　he　spent　part　of　his　own　time　visiting　the　different　jobs　to　see　how　the　work　progressed。

Crass's　appearance　did　him　justice。　　He　was　wearing　a　pair　of　sporting　trousers　the　pattern　of　which　consisted　of　large　black　and　white　squares。　　The　previous　owner　of　these　trousers　was　taller　and　slighter　than　Crass；　so　although　the　legs　were　about　a　couple　of　inches　too　long；　they　fitted　him　rather　tightly；　so　much　so　that　it　was　fortunate　that　he　had　his　present　job　of　colourman；　for　if　he　had　had　to　do　any　climbing　up　and　down　ladders　or　steps；　the　trousers　would　have　burst。　His　jacket　was　also　two　or　three　sizes　too　small；　and　the　sleeves　were　so　short　that　the　cuffs　of　his　flanelette　shirt　were　visible。　　This　coat　was　made　of　serge；　and　its　colour　had　presumably　once　been　blue；　but　it　was　now　a　sort　of　heliotrope　and　violet：　the　greater　part　being　of　the　former　tint；　and　the　parts　under　the　sleeves　of　the　latter。　This　jacket　fitted　very　tightly　across　the　shoulders　and　back　and　being　much　too　short　left　his　tightly　clad　posteriors　exposed　to　view。

He　however　seemed　quite　unconscious　of　anything　peculiar　in　his　appearance　and　was　so　bumptious　and　offensive　that　most　of　the　men　were　almost　glad　when　Nimrod　came　back。　　They　said　that　if　Crass　ever　got　the　job　he　would　be　a　dam'　sight　worse　than　Hunter。　　As　for　the　latter；　for　a　little　while　after　his　return　to　work　it　was　said　that　his　illness　had　improved　his　character：　he　had　had　time　to　think　things　over；　and　in　short；　he　was　ever　so　much　better　than　before：　but　it　was　not　long　before　this　story　began　to　be　told　the　other　way　round。　　He　was　worse　than　ever！　and　a　thing　that　happened　about　a　fortnight　after　his　return　caused　more　ill　feeling　and　resentment　against　him　and　Rushton　than　had　ever　existed　previously。　　What　led　up　to　it　was　something　that　was　done　by　Bundy's　mate；　Ted　Dawson。

This　poor　wretch　was　scarcely　ever　seen　without　a　load　of　some　sort　or　other：　carrying　a　sack　of　cement　or　plaster；　a　heavy　ladder；　a　big　bucket　of　mortar；　or　dragging　a　load　of　scaffolding　on　a　cart。　　He　must　have　been　nearly　as　strong　as　a　horse；　because　after　working　in　this　manner　for　Rushton　&　Co。　from　six　in　the　morning　till　half　past　five　at　night；　he　usually　went　to　work　in　his　garden　for　two　or　three　hours　after　tea；　and　frequently　went　there　for　an　hour　or　so　in　the　morning　before　going　to　work。　　The　poor　devil　needed　the　produce　of　his　garden　to　supplement　his　wages；　for　he　had　a　wife　and　three　children　to　provide　for　and　he　earned　only　…　or　rather；　to　be　correct；　he　was　paid　only　…　fourpence　an　hour。

There　was　an　old　house　to　which　they　were　making　some　alterations　and　repairs；　and　there　was　a　lot　of　old　wood　taken　out　of　it：　old；　decayed　floorboards　and　stuff　of　that　kind；　wood　that　was　of　no　use　whatever　except　to　burn。

Bundy　and　his　mate　were　working　there；　and　one　night；　Misery　came　a　few　minutes　before　half　past　five　and　caught　Dawson　in　the　act　of　tying　up　a　small　bundle　of　this　wood。　　When　Hunter　asked　him　what　he　was　going　to　do　with　it　he　made　no　attempt　at　prevarication　or　concealment：　he　said　he　was　going　to　take　it　home　for　fire…wood；　because　it　was　of　no　other　use。　　Misery　kicked　up　a　devil　of　a　row　and　ordered　him　to　leave　the　wood　where　it　was：　it　had　to　be　taken　to　the　yard；　and　it　was　nothing　to　do　with　Dawson　or　anyone　else　whether　it　was　any　use　or　not！　　If　he　caught　anyone　taking　wood　away　he　would　sack　them　on　the　spot。　　Hunter　shouted　very　loud　so　that　all　the　others　might　hear；　and　as　they　were　all　listening　attentively　in　the　next　room；　where　they　were　taking　their　aprons　off　preparatory　to　going　home；　they　got　the　full　benefit　of　his　remarks。

The　following　Saturday　when　the　hands　went　to　the　office　for　their　money　they　were　each　presented　with　a　printed　card　bearing　the　following　legend：

　　　　Under　no　circumstances　is　any　article　or　material；　however　　　　　trifling；　to　be　taken　away　by　workmen　for　their　private　use；　　　　　whether　waste　material　or　not；　from　any　workshop　or　place　where　　　　　work　is　being　done。　　Foremen　are　hereby　instructed　to　see　that　　　　　this　order　is　obeyed　and　to　report　any　such　act　coming　to　their　　　　　knowledge。　　Any　man　breaking　this　rule　will　be　either　dismissed　　　　　without　notice　or　given　into　custody。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Rushton　&　Co。

Most　of　the　men　took　these　cards　with　the　envelopes　containing　their　wages　and　walked　away　without　making　any　comment　…　in　fact；　most　of　them　were　some　distance　away　before　they　realized　exactly　what　the　card　was　about。　　Two　or　three　of　them　stood　a　few　steps　away　from　the　pay　window　in　full　view　of　Rushton　and　Misery　and　ostentatiously　tore　the　thing　into　pieces　and　threw　them　into　the　street。　　One　man　remained　at　the　pay　window　while　he　read　the　card　…　and　then　flung　it　with　an　obscene　curse　into　Rushton's　face；　and　demanded　his　back　day；　which　they　gave　him　without　any　remark　or　delay；　the　other　men　who　were　not　yet　paid　having　to　wait　while　he　made　out　his　time…sheet