the ragged trousered philanthropists-第26节

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ledge　to　do　so。　　Hunter　had　drawn　the　plans；　calculated　the　cost　and　prepared　the　estimate。

‘I've　been　thinking　over　this　business　lately；'　said　Sweater；　looking　at　Rushton　with　a　cunning　leer。　　‘I　don't　see　why　I　should　have　to　pay　for　the　connecting　pipe。　　The　Corporation　ought　to　pay　for　that。　　What　do　you　say？'

Rushton　laughed。　　‘I　don't　see　why　not；'　he　replied。

‘I　think　we　could　arrange　it　all　right；　don't　you？'　Sweater　went　on。　‘Anyhow；　the　work　will　have　to　be　done；　so　you'd　better　let　'em　get　on　with　it。　　？5。0。0。　covers　both　jobs；　you　say？'

‘Yes。'

‘Oh；　all　right；　you　get　on　with　it　and　we'll　see　what　can　be　done　with　the　Corporation　later　on。'

‘I　don't　suppose　we'll　find　'em　very　difficult　to　deal　with；'　said　Rushton　with　a　grin；　and　Sweater　smiled　agreement。

As　they　were　passing　through　the　hall　they　met　Hunter；　who　had　just　arrived。　　He　was　rather　surprised　to　see　them；　as　he　knew　nothing　of　their　appointment。　　He　wished　them　‘Good　morning'　in　an　awkward　hesitating　undertone　as　if　he　were　doubtful　how　his　greeting　would　be　received。　　Sweater　nodded　slightly；　but　Rushton　ignored　him　altogether　and　Nimrod　passed　on　looking　and　feeling　like　a　disreputable　cur　that　had　just　been　kicked。

As　Sweater　and　Rushton　walked　together　about　the　house；　Hunter　hovered　about　them　at　a　respectable　distance；　hoping　that　presently　some　notice　might　be　taken　of　him。　　His　dismal　countenance　became　even　longer　than　usual　when　he　observed　that　they　were　about　to　leave　the　house　without　appearing　even　to　know　that　he　was　there。　　However；　just　as　they　were　going　out；　Rushton　paused　on　the　threshold　and　called　him：

‘Mr　Hunter！'

‘Yes；　sir。'

Nimrod　ran　to　him　like　a　dog　taken　notice　of　by　his　master：　if　he　had　possessed　a　tail；　it　is　probable　that　he　would　have　wagged　it。　Rushton　gave　him　the　plans　with　an　intimation　that　the　work　was　to　be　proceeded　with。

For　some　time　after　they　were　gone；　Hunter　crawled　silently　about　the　house；　in　and　out　of　the　rooms；　up　and　down　the　corridors　　and　the　staircases。　　After　a　while　he　went　into　the　room　where　Newman　was　and　stood　quietly　watching　him　for　about　ten　minutes　as　he　worked。　　The　man　was　painting　the　skirting；　and　just　then　he　came　to　a　part　that　was　split　in　several　places；　so　he　took　his　knife　and　began　to　fill　the　cracks　with　putty。　　He　was　so　nervous　under　Hunter's　scrutiny　that　his　hand　trembled　to　such　an　extent　that　it　took　him　about　twice　as　long　as　it　should　have　done；　and　Hunter　told　him　so　with　brutal　directness。

‘Never　mind　about　puttying　up　such　little　cracks　as　them！'　he　shouted。　‘Fill　'em　up　with　the　paint。　　　We　can't　afford　to　pay　you　for　messing　about　like　that！'

Newman　made　no　reply。

Misery　found　no　excuse　for　bullying　anyone　else；　because　they　were　all　tearing　into　it　for　all　they　were　worth。　　As　he　wandered　up　and　down　the　house　like　an　evil　spirit；　he　was　followed　by　the　furtively　unfriendly　glances　of　the　men；　who　cursed　him　in　their　hearts　as　he　passed。

He　sneaked　into　the　drawing…room　and　after　standing　with　a　malignant　expression；　silently　watching　Owen　and　Easton；　he　came　out　again　without　having　uttered　a　word。

Although　he　frequently　acted　in　this　manner；　yet　somehow　today　the　circumstance　worried　Owen　considerably。　　He　wondered　uneasily　what　it　meant；　and　began　to　feel　vaguely　apprehensive。　　Hunter's　silence　seemed　more　menacing　than　his　speech。



Chapter　10

The　Long　Hill


Bert　arrived　at　the　shop　and　with　as　little　delay　as　possible　loaded　up　the　handcart　with　all　the　things　he　had　been　sent　for　and　start　on　the　return　journey。　　He　got　on　all　right　in　the　town；　because　the　roads　were　level　and　smooth；　being　paved　with　wood　blocks。　　If　it　had　only　been　like　that　all　the　way　it　would　have　been　easy　enough；　although　he　was　a　small　boy　for　such　a　large　truck；　and　such　a　heavy　load。　　While　the　wood　road　lasted　the　principal　trouble　he　experienced　was　the　difficulty　of　seeing　where　he　was　going；　the　handcart　being　so　high　and　himself　so　short。　　The　pair　of　steps　on　the　cart　of　course　made　it　all　the　worse　in　that　respect。　　However；　by　taking　great　care　he　managed　to　get　through　the　town　all　right；　although　he　narrowly　escaped　colliding　with　several　vehicles；　including　two　or　three　motor　cars　and　an　electric　tram；　besides　nearly　knocking　over　an　old　woman　who　was　carrying　a　large　bundle　of　washing。　　From　time　to　time　he　saw　other　small　boys　of　his　acquaintance；　some　of　them　former　schoolmates。　Some　of　these　passed　by　carrying　heavy　loads　of　groceries　in　baskets；　and　others　with　wooden　trays　full　of　joints　of　meat。

Unfortunately；　the　wood　paving　ceased　at　the　very　place　where　the　ground　began　to　rise。　　Bert　now　found　himself　at　the　beginning　of　a　long　stretch　of　macadamized　road　which　rose　slightly　and　persistently　throughout　its　whole　length。　　Bert　had　pushed　a　cart　up　this　road　many　times　before　and　consequently　knew　the　best　method　of　tackling　it。　Experience　had　taught　him　that　a　full　frontal　attack　on　this　hill　was　liable　to　failure；　so　on　this　occasion　he　followed　his　usual　plan　of　making　diagonal　movements；　crossing　the　road　repeatedly　from　right　to　left　and　left　to　right；　after　the　fashion　of　a　sailing　ship　tacking　against　the　wind；　and　halting　about　every　twenty　yards　to　rest　and　take　breath。　　The　distance　he　was　to　go　was　regulated；　not　so　much　by　his　powers　of　endurance　as　by　the　various　objects　by　the　wayside　…　the　lamp…posts；　for　instance。　　During　each　rest　he　used　to　look　ahead　and　select　a　certain　lamp…post　or　street　corner　as　the　next　stopping…place；　and　when　he　start　again　he　used　to　make　the　most　strenuous　and　desperate　efforts　to　reach　it。

Generally　the　goal　he　selected　was　too　distant；　for　he　usually　overestimated　his　strength；　and　whenever　he　was　forced　to　give　in　he　ran　the　truck　against　the　kerb　and　stood　there　panting　for　breath　and　feeling　profoundly　disappointed　at　his　failure。

On　the　present　occasion；　during　one　of　these　rests；　it　flashed　upon　him　that　he　was　being　a　very　long　time：　he　would　have　to　buck　up　or　he　would　get　into　a　row：　he　was　not　even　half…way　up　the　road　yet！

Selecting　a　distant　lamp…post；　he　determined　to　reach　it　before　resting　again。

The　cart　had　a　single　shaft　with　a　cross…piece　at　the　end；　forming　the　handle：　he　gripped　this　fiercely　with　both　hands　and；　placing　his　chest　against　it；　with　a　mighty　effort　he　pushed　the　cart　before　him。

It　seemed　to　get　heavier　and　heavier　every　foot　of　the　way。　　His　whole　body；　but　especially　the　thighs　and　calves　of　his　legs；　pained　terribly；　but　still　he　strained　and　struggled　and　said　to　himself　that　he　would　not　give　in　until　he　reached　the　lamp…post。

Finding　that　the　handle　hurt　his　chest；　he　lowered　it　to　his　waist；　but　that　being　even　more　painful　he　raised　it　again　to　his　chest；　and　struggled　savagely　on；　panting　for　breath　and　with　his　heart　beating　wildly。

The　cart　became　heavier　and　heavier。　　After　a　while　it　seemed　to　the　boy　as　if　there　were　someone　at　the　front　of　it　trying　to　push　him　back　down　the　hill。　　This　was　such　a　funny　idea　that　for　a　moment　he　felt　inclined　to　laugh；　but　the　inclination　went　almost　as　soon　as　it　came　and　was　replaced　by　the　dread　that　he　would　not　be　able　to　hold　out　long　enough　to　reach　the　lamp…post；　after　all。　　Clenching　his　teeth；　he　made　a　tremendous　effort　and　staggered　forward　two　or　three　more　steps　and　then　…　the　cart　stopped。　　He　struggled　with　it　despairingly　for　a　few　seconds；　but　all　the　strength　had　suddenly　gone　out　of　him：　his　legs　felt　so　weak　that　he　nearly　collapsed　on　to　the　ground；　and　the　cart　began　to　move　backwards　down　the　hill。　　He　was　just　able　to　stick　to　it　and　guide　it　so　that　it　ran　into　and　rested　against　the　kerb；　and　then　he　stood　holding　it　in　a　half…dazed　way；　very　pale；　saturated　with　perspiration；　and　trembling。　　His　legs　in　particular　shook　so　much　that　he　felt　that　unless　he　could　sit　down　for　a　little；　he　would　FALL　down。

He　lowered　the　handle　very　carefully　so　as　not　to　spill　the　whitewash　out　of　the　pail　which　was　hanging　from　a　hook　under　the　cart；　then；　sitting　down　on　the　kerbstone；　he　leaned　wearily　against　the　wheel。

A　little　way　down　the　road　was　a　church　with　a　clock　in　the　tower。　　It　was　five　minutes　to　ten　by　this　clock。　　Bert　said　to　himself　that　when　it　was　ten　he　would　make　another　start。

Whilst　he　was　resting　he　thought　of　many　things。　　Just　behind　that　church　was　a　field　with　several　ponds　in　it　where　he　used　to　go　with　other　boys　to　catch　effets。　　It　if　were　not　for　the　cart　he　would　go　across　now；　to　see　whether　there　were　any　there　still。　　He　remembered　that　he　had　been　very　eager　to　leave　school　and　go　to　work；　but　they　used　to　be　fine　old　times　after　all。

Then　he　thought　of　the　day　when　his　mother　took　him　to　Mr　Rushton's　office　to　‘bind'　him。　　He　remembered　that　day　very　vividly：　it　was　almost　a　year　ago。　　How　nervous　he　had　been！　　His　hand　had　trembled　so　that　he　was　scarcely　able　to　hold　the　pen。　　And　even　when　it　was　all　over；　they　had　both　felt　very　miserable；　somehow。　　His　mother　had　been　very　nervous　in　the　office　also；　and　when　they　got　home　she　cried　a　lot　and　called　him　her　poor　little　fatherless　boy；　and　said　she　hoped　he　would　be　good　and　try　to　learn。　　And　then　he　cried　as　well；　and　promised　her　tha