The Reign of Terror
'I wouldn't be surprised if it was you and me, for two,' replied the latter in the same tone; 'you can't trust Crass, you know, for all 'e seems so friendly to our faces. You never know what 'e ses behind our backs.'
'You may be sure it won't be Sawkins or any of the other lightweights, because Nimrod won't want to pay us sixpence ha'penny for painting guttering and rainpipes when they can do it near enough for fourpence ha'penny and fivepence. They won't be able to do the sashes, though, will they?'
'I don't know so much about that,' replied Easton; 'anything seems to be good enough for Hunter.'
'Look out! 'ere 'e comes!' said Harlow, and they both relapsed into silence and busied themselves with their work. Misery stood watching them for some time without speaking, and then went out of the house. They crept cautiously to the window of a room that overlooked the garden and peeping furtively out they saw him standing on the brink of one of the trenches, moodily watching Bundy and his mates as they toiled at the drains. Then, to their surprise and relief, he turned and went out of the gate! They just caught sight of one of the wheels of his bicycle as he rode away.
The slaughter was evidently to be put off until next week! It seemed too good to be true.
'P'raps 'e's left a message for some of us with Crass?' suggested Easton. 'I don't think it's likely, but it's just possible.'
'Well, I'm goin' down to ask 'im,' said Harlow, desperately. 'We may as well know the worst at once.'
He returned in a few minutes with the information that Hunter had decided not to stop anyone that day because he wanted to get the outside finished during the next week, if possible.
The hands received this intelligence with mixed feelings, because although it left them safe for the present, it meant that nearly everybody would certainly be stopped next Saturday, if not before; whereas if a few had been sacked to-day it would have made it all the better for the rest. Still, this aspect of the business did not greatly interfere with the relief they all felt at knowing that the immediate danger was over; and the fact that it was Saturday—pay day—also served to revive their drooping spirits. They all felt pretty certain that Misery would return no more that day, and presently Harlow
181
