Upon hearing of this addition expense, Misery's long visage appeared to become several inches longer; but after a moment's thought he brightened up.
`I'll tell you what!' he exclaimed with a cunning leer, `there's lots of odd rolls of wallpaper down at the shop.Couldn't you manage with some of that?'
`I'm afraid it wouldn't do,' replied Owen doubtfully, `but I'll have a look at it and if possible I'll use it.'
`Yes, do!' said Misery, pleased at the thought of saving something.
`Call at the shop on your way home tonight, and we'll see what we can find.'Ow long do you think it'll take you to make the drorins and the stencils?'
`Well, today's Thursday.If you let someone else help Easton to get the room ready, I think I can get them done in time to bring them with me on Monday morning.'
`Wot do yer mean, "bring them with you"?' demanded Nimrod.
`I shall have to do them at home, you know.'
`Do 'em at 'ome! Why can't you do 'em 'ere?'
`Well, there's no table, for one thing.'
`Oh, but we can soon fit you out with a table.You can 'ave a pair of paperhanger's tressels and boards for that matter.'
`I have a lot of sketches and things at home that I couldn't very well bring here,' said Owen.
Misery argued about it for a long time, insisting that the drawings should be made either on the `job' or at the paint-shop down at the yard.How, he asked, was be to know at what hour Owen commenced or left off working, if the latter did them at home?
`I shan't charge any more time than I really work,' replied Owen.`Ican't possibly do them here or at the paint-shop.I know I should only make a mess of them under such conditions.'
`Well, I s'pose you'll 'ave to 'ave your own way,' said Misery, dolefully.`I'll let Harlow help Easton paint the room out, so as you can get your stencils and things ready.But for Gord's sake get 'em done as quick as you can.If you could manage to get done by Friday and come down and help Easton on Saturday, it would be so much the better.And when you do get a start on the decoratin', I shouldn't take too much care over it, you know, if I was you, because we 'ad to take the job for next to nothing or Mr Sweater would never 'ave 'ad it done at all!'
Nimrod now began to crawl about the house, snarling and grumbling at everyone.
`Now then, you chaps.Rouse yourselves!' he bellowed, 'you seem to think this is a 'orspital.If some of you don't make a better show than this, I'll 'ave to 'ave a Alteration! There's plenty of chaps walkin' about doin' nothin' who'll be only too glad of a job!'
He went into the scullery, where Crass was mixing some colour.
`Look 'ere, Crass!' he said.`I'm not at all satisfied with the way you're gettin' on with the work.You must push the chaps a bit more than you're doin'.There's not enough being done, by a long way.We shall lose money over this job before we're finished!'
Crass - whose fat face had turned a ghastly green with fright -mumbled something about getting on with it as fast as he could.
`Well, you'll 'ave to make 'em move a bit quicker than this!' Misery howled, 'or there'll 'ave to be a ALTERATION!'
By an `alteration' Crass understood that he might get the sack, or that someone else might be put in charge of the job, and that would of course reduce him to the ranks and do away with his chance of being kept on longer than the others.He determined to try to ingratiate himself with Hunter and appease his wrath by sacrificing someone else.
He glanced cautiously into the kitchen and up the passage and then, lowering his voice, he said:
`They all shapes pretty well, except Newman.I would 'ave told you about 'im before, but I thought I'd give 'im a fair chance.I've spoke to 'im several times myself about not doin' enough, but it don't seem to make no difference.'
`I've 'ad me eye on 'im meself for some time,' replied Nimrod in the same tone.`Anybody would think the work was goin' to be sent to a Exhibition, the way 'e messes about with it, rubbing it with glasspaper and stopping up every little crack! I can't understand where 'e gets all the glasspaper FROM'
`'E brings it 'isself!' said Crass hoarsely.`I know for a fact that 'e bought two 'a'penny sheets of it, last week out of 'is own money!'
`Oh, 'e did, did 'e?' snarled Misery.`I'll give 'im glasspaper!
I'll 'ave a Alteration!'
He went into the hall, where he remained alone for a considerable time, brooding.At last, with the manner of one who has resolved on a certain course of action, he turned and entered the room where Philpot and Harlow were working.
`You both get sevenpence an hour, don't you?' he said.
They both replied to the affirmative.
`I've never worked under price yet,' added Harlow.
`Nor me neither,' observed Philpot.
`Well, of course you can please yourselves,' Hunter continued, `but after this week we've decided not to pay more than six and a half.
Things is cut so fine nowadays that we can't afford to go on payin'
sevenpence any longer.You can work up till tomorrow night on the old terms, but if you're not willin' to accept six and a half you needn't come on Saturday morning.Please yourselves.Take it or leave it.'
Harlow and Philpot were both too much astonished to say anything in reply to this cheerful announcement, and Hunter, with the final remark, `You can think it over,' left them and went to deliver the same ultimatum to all the other full-price men, who took it in the same way as Philpot and Harlow had done.Crass and Owen were the only two whose wages were not reduced.
