To The West | Page 9

too--do you see?--`lable.' My head's all a buzz."
"Tear it up quickly and write it again."
"Shan't; I shall correct it. No, I know. I shall cut the paper up, and stick it on another sheet, and write these lines in again. Pass the gum. Oh!"
"What's the matter?"
"Here's `mogany' lower down, and `Tarpet' for `Turkey carpet.'"
"Write it again, do," I said, for I dreaded the scene that I knew there would be.
"Ah, well, all right, but I know I shall muddle it again, and--"
"As usual," cried Mr Dempster, and we both started back on to our stools, for we had been standing up on the rails leaning towards each other over the double desk, so intent on the errors that we had not heard him open the door softly--I believe, on purpose to surprise us.
We began writing hard, and I felt my heart beating fast, as our employer banged the door heavily and strode up to the desk.
I gave one quick glance at him as he turned to Esau's side, and snatched up the sheet of paper the boy tried to hide under the blotting-pad; and as I looked I saw that his face was flushed and fierce-looking as I had never seen it before.
"Hah!" he ejaculated, as he took off his glossy hat and stood it on a chair, with his ivory-handled Malacca cane across it. "Pretty stuff this, upon my word. Here, let me look at that letter."
He reached over and snatched the missive I was writing from the desk, and held it up before him.
"Do you call that writing?" he roared. "Disgraceful! Abominable! The first boy I met in the street would do better. There--and there--and there!"
He tore the letter to fragments and threw the paper in my face.
"Now then; write another directly," he cried; "and if you dare to--Here, what are you going to do?" he roared, as Esau took hold of the sheet of paper containing the errors.
"Going to write it over again, sir."
"Write it over again, you miserable impostor!" he cried, as he snatched the paper back and laid a leaden weight upon it. "I'll teach you to waste my time and paper gossiping--that's what it means."
"Here, what are you going to do?" cried Esau, as Mr Dempster seized him by the collar.
"I'll show you what I'm going to do, you idle young scoundrel," cried Mr Dempster, and he reached out his hand to take his stout cane from where it lay across his hat.
"Here, don't you hit me," cried Esau; and he tried to get away, as I sat breathless, watching all that was going on, and thinking that Mr Dempster dared not use the walking-cane in the way he seemed to threaten. Esau evidently thought he would, for he struggled hard now, but in vain, and he was dragged towards the chair. Then, as pulling seemed no use, the lad changed his tactics, and he darted forward to make for the door, just as Mr Dempster's hand was touching the stick, which he did not secure, for the jerk he received sent cane and hat off the chair on to the floor.
"You dog!" roared Dempster, as the hat went on to the oilcloth with a hollow bang.
"Don't you hit me!" cried Esau, struggling wildly to escape; and the next moment, as they swayed to and fro, I heard a strange crushing sound, and on looking to see the cause, there lay Mr Dempster's beautiful guinea-and-a-half hat crushed into a shapeless, battered mass.
"Ah!" roared Mr Dempster, "you dog; you did that on purpose."
"I didn't," cried Esau; "it was your foot did it."
"Was it? was it?" snarled Mr Dempster, and the struggle recommenced, until I, with the perspiration standing on my forehead, caught tightly hold of the desk.
Esau was pretty strong, but he was almost helpless in the bands of the angry man who held him, and the struggle ended, after the high stool and the chair had both been knocked over with a crash, by Mr Dempster's getting Esau down and holding him there with one knee upon his chest.
"Hah!" he ejaculated, panting. "Here you, Gordon, get down and pick up my cane," and he gave his head a jerk in the direction of where the stick lay, just as it had been knocked close to the door.
Months of rigid obedience to the tyrant had their effect, and I got down from my stool trembling with excitement.
"Oh, don't, don't, Gordon!" cried Esau; "don't give it him."
But my employer's eyes were fixed upon me with such a look that I was fascinated, and as if moved against my own will, I crossed the office and picked up the thick cane.
"Give it here, quick!"
For I stood there hesitating, but the imperative voice mastered me, and I moved towards the speaker.
"Don't--don't give it him," cried Esau.
"Quick--this instant!" roared