To The West | Page 4

Nice pair, upon my word! And you--you scoundrel," he cried,
turning on me, "where have you been?"
"Only--only just outside, sir," I stammered, as I felt my cheeks flush.
"I'll only just outside you," he roared, catching me by the collar and
shaking me. "This is the way my work is done, is it? You're always late
of a morning--"
"No, sir," I cried, indignantly.
"Silence!--And always the first to rush off before your work's done; and
as soon as my back's turned, you're off to play with the boys in the
street. Where have you been?"
I was silent, I felt that I could not tell him.
"Sulky, eh? Here, you," he roared, turning upon Esau, "where has he
been? How long has he been gone?"
"Don't you hit me! Don't you hit me!" cried the boy, sulkily; "I shan't
stand this."
"I say, how long has he been gone?"
"I was only gone a few minutes, sir," I said.
"Gone a few minutes, you scoundrel! How dare you be gone a few
minutes, leaving my office open? You're no more use than a boy out of
the streets, and if I did my duty by you, I should thrash you till you
could not stand. Back to your desk, you dog, and the next time I catch
you at any of these tricks off you go, and no character."
As I climbed back to my place at the desk, hot, flushed, and indignant,
feeling more and more unable to explain the reason for my absence,
and guilty at the same time--knowing as I did that I had no business to
steal off--Mr Dempster turned once more upon Esau, who backed away
from him round the office, sparring away with his arms to ward off the
blows aimed at him, though I don't think they were intended to strike,

but only as a malicious kind of torture.
"Here, don't you hit me! don't you hit me!" Esau kept on saying, as if
this was the only form of words he could call up in his excitement.
"I'll half break your neck for you, you scoundrel! Is that catalogue
done?"
"How can I get it done when you keep on chivvying me about the
place?" cried Esau.
"How can you get it done if you go to sleep, you scoundrel, you mean.
Now then, up on to that stool, and if it isn't done you stop after hours
till it is done. Here, what are you staring at? Get on with those letters."
Mr Dempster had turned upon me furiously as I sat looking, and with a
sigh I went on with my writing, while red-faced and wet-eyed, for he
could not keep the tears back, Esau climbed slowly on to his stool, and
gave a tremendous sniff.
"I shall tell mother as soon as I get home," he cried.
"Tell your mother, you great calf! You had better not," roared Mr
Dempster. "She has troubles enough. It was only out of charity to her
that I took you on. For you are useless--perfectly useless. I lose pounds
through your blunders. There, that will do. Get on with your work."
He went back into the inner office, and banged the door so heavily that
all the auction bills which papered the walls of our office began to flap
and swing about. Then for a few minutes there was only the scratching
of our pens to be heard.
Then Esau gave a tremendous sniff, began wiping his eyes on the cuffs
of his jacket, and held the blotting-paper against each in turn as he
looked across at me.
"'Tain't crying," he said. "Only water. Ketch him making me cry!"
"You were crying," I said, quietly.

"No, I wasn't. Don't you get turning again' me too. Take a better man
than him to make me cry."
I laughed.
"Ah, you may grin," grumbled my companion; "but just you have your
head knocked again' the desk, and just you see if it wouldn't make your
eyes water."
At that moment the door was opened with a snatch.
"Silence there! You, Gordon, will you go on with your work?"
The door was banged before I could have answered. Not that I should
have said anything. But as soon as the door clicked Esau went on again
without subduing his voice--
"I ain't afraid of him--cheating old knocktioneer! Thinks he's a right to
knock everybody down 'cause he's got a licence."
"Go on with your work," I whispered, "or he'll come back."
"Let him; I don't care. I ain't afraid. It was all your fault for going out."
"And yours for being asleep."
"I can't help my head being heavy. Mother says it's because I've got so
much brains. But I'll serve him out. I'll make all