Salthaven | Page 3

that might indicate the return of its mistress.
"Half-past eight," said Hartley at last; "time to knock off. I've put a few small plants in your bag for you; better put them in in the morning before you start off."
Mr. Saunders thanked him, and reaching down his coat put it on and followed Mr. Hartley to the house. The latter, steering him round by the side-entrance, accompanied him to the front gate.
"If you would like to borrow my roller or lawn-mower at any time," he said, cordially, "I should be very pleased to lend them to you. It isn't very far."
Mr. Saunders, who would sooner have died than have been seen dragging a roller through the streets, thanked him warmly. With an idea of prolonging his stay, he suggested looking at them.
"They're locked up now," said Mr. Hartley. "See them another time. Good-night."
"Good-night," said Mr. Saunders. "I'll look in to-morrow evening, if I may."
"No use to-morrow," Mr. Hartley called after him; "there will be nobody at home but Joan."
CHAPTER II
MR. ROBERT VYNER entered upon his new duties with enthusiasm. The second day he was at the office half an hour before anybody else; on the third day the staff competed among themselves for the honour of arriving first, and greeted him as respectfully as their feelings would permit when he strolled in at a quarter to eleven. The arrival of the senior partner on the day following at a phenomenally early hour, for the sake of setting an example to the junior, filled them with despair. Their spirits did not revive until Mr. John had given up the task as inconvenient and useless.
A slight fillip was given to Robert's waning enthusiasm by the arrival of new furniture for his room. A large mahogany writing-table, full of drawers and pigeon-holes, gave him a pleasant sense of importance, and the revolving chair which went with it afforded a welcome relief to a young and ardent nature. Twice the office-boy had caught the junior partner, with his legs tucked up to avoid collisions, whirling wildly around, and had waited respectfully at the door for the conclusion of the performance.
[Illustration: The office boy caught the Junior Partner 020]
"It goes a bit stiff, Bassett," said the junior partner.
"Yessir," said Bassett.
"I'm trying to ease it a bit," explained Mr. Robert.
"Yessir," said Bassett again.
Mr. Robert regarded him closely. An undersized boy in spectacles, with a large head and an air of gravity and old age on his young features, which the junior thought somewhat ill-placed for such an occasion.
"I suppose you never twizzle round on your chair, Bassett?" he said, slowly.
Bassett shivered at the idea. "No, sir," he said, solemnly; "I've got my work to do."
Mr. Robert sought for other explanations. "And, of course, you have a stool," he remarked; "you couldn't swing round on that."
"Not even if I wanted to, sir," said the unbending Bassett.
Mr. Robert nodded, and taking some papers from his table held them before his face and surveyed the youth over the top. Bassett stood patiently to attention.
"That's all right," said the other; "thank you."
"Thank you, sir," said Bassett, turning to the door.
"By the way," said Mr. Robert, eying him curiously as he turned the handle, "what exercise do you take?"
"Exercise, sir?" said Bassett.
Mr. Robert nodded. "What do you do of an evening for amusement after the arduous toils of the day are past? Marbles?"
"No, sir," said the outraged one. "If I have any time to spare I amuse myself with a little shorthand."
"Amuse!" exclaimed the other. He threw himself back in his chair and, sternly checking its inclination to twirl again, sought for a flaw in the armour of this paragon. "And what else do you do in the way of recreation?"
"I've got a vivarium, sir."
Mr. Robert hesitated, but curiosity got the better of his dignity. "What's that?" he inquired.
"A thing I keep frogs and toads in, sir," was the reply.
Mr. Robert, staring hard at him, did his honest best to check the next question, but it came despite himself. "Are you--are you married, Bassett?" he inquired.
Bassett regarded him calmly. "No, sir," he said, with perfect gravity. "I live at home with my mother."
The junior partner gave him a nod of dismissal, and for some time sat gazing round the somewhat severely furnished office, wondering with some uneasiness what effect such surroundings might have on a noble but impressionable temperament. He brought round a few sketches the next day to brighten the walls, and replated the gum-bottle and other useful ornaments by some German beer-mugs.
Even with these aids to industry he found the confinement of office somewhat irksome, and, taking a broad view of his duties, gradually relieved Bassett of his errands to the docks. It was necessary, he told himself, to get a thorough grasp of the whole business of ship-owning. In