Page 532 - sons-and-lovers

‘I’ll stop your whistle, my jockey!’ he said.
The other took no notice.
‘You’re goin’ to answer for that job of the other night.’
Paul went to his desk in his corner, and turned over the
leaves of the ledger.
‘Go and tell Fanny I want order 097, quick!’ he said to
his boy.
Dawes stood in the doorway, tall and threatening, look-
ing at the top of the young man’s head.
‘Six and five’s eleven and seven’s one-and-six,’ Paul add-
ed aloud.
‘An’ you hear, do you!’ said Dawes.
‘FIVE AND NINEPENCE!’ He wrote a figure. ‘What’s
that?’ he said.
‘I’m going to show you what it is,’ said the smith.
The other went on adding the figures aloud.
‘Yer crawlin’ little —-, yer daresn’t face me proper!’
Paul quickly snatched the heavy ruler. Dawes started.
The young man ruled some lines in his ledger. The elder
man was infuriated.
‘But wait till I light on you, no matter where it is, I’ll set-
tle your hash for a bit, yer little swine!’
‘All right,’ said Paul.
At that the smith started heavily from the doorway. Just
then a whistle piped shrilly. Paul went to the speaking-
tube.
‘Yes!’ he said, and he listened. ‘Er—yes!’ He listened,
then he laughed. ‘I’ll come down directly. I’ve got a visitor
just now.’

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