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‘But we 'adn't nothing to do to speak of； so my son told 'im we'd do 'em for five bob a set； and 'e said 'e'd let us know； but we ain't 'eard nothing from 'im yet； so I thought I'd try and see 'im tonight。'
Well； you'll find 'im in there now；' said Slyme with a peculiar look； and walking faster。 ‘Good night。'
‘I won't take 'em on for no less！' cried the old man as he turned back。 I've got my livin' to get； and my son's got 'is wife and little 'uns to keep。 We can't work for nothing！'
‘Certainly not；' said Crass； glad to get away at last。 ‘Good night； and good luck to you。'
As soon as they were out of hearing； they both burst out laughing at the old man's vehemence。
‘Seemed quite upset about it；' said Slyme； and they laughed again。
They now left the main road and pursued their way through a number of badly lighted； mean…looking streets； and finally turning down a kind of alley； arrived at their destination。 On one side of this street was a row of small houses； facing these were a number of buildings of a miscellaneous description … sheds and stables； and beyond these a plot of waste ground on which could be seen； looming weirdly through the dusk； a number of empty carts and waggons with their shafts resting on the ground or reared up into the air。 Threading their way carefully through these and avoiding as much as possible the mud； pools of water； and rubbish which covered the ground； they arrived at a large gate fastened with a padlock。 Applying the key； Crass swung back the gate and they found themselves in a large yard filled with building materials and plant； ladders； huge tressels； planks and beams of wood； hand…carts； and wheelbarrows； heaps of sand and mortar and innumerable other things that assumed strange fantastic shapes in the semi…darkness。 Crates and packing cases； lengths of iron guttering and rain…pipes； old door…frames and other woodwork that had been taken from buildings where alterations had been made。 And over all these things； a gloomy； indistinct and shapeless mass； rose the buildings and sheds that comprised Rushton & Co。's workshop。
Crass struck a match； and Slyme； stooping down； drew a key from a crevice in the wall near one of the doors； which he unlocked； and they entered。 Crass struck another match and lit the gas at the jointed bracket fixed to the wall。 This was the paint…shop。 At one end was a fireplace without a grate but with an iron bar fixed across the blackened chimney for the purpose of suspending pails or pots over the fire； which was usually made of wood on the hearthstone。 All round the walls of the shop … which had once been whitewashed； but were now covered with smears of paint of every colour where the men had ‘rubbed out' their brushes … were rows of shelves with kegs of paint upon them。 In front of the window was a long bench covered with an untidy litter of dirty paint…pots； including several earthenware mixing vessels or mortars； the sides of these being thickly coated with dried paint。 Scattered about the stone floor were a number of dirty pails； either empty or containing stale whitewash； and standing on a sort of low platform or shelf at one end of the shop were four large round tanks fitted with taps and labelled ‘Boiled Oil'； ‘Turps'； ‘Linseed Oil'； ‘Turps Substitute'。 The lower parts of the walls were discoloured with moisture。 The atmosphere was cold and damp and foul with the sickening odours of the poisonous materials。
It was in this place that Bert … the apprentice … spent most of his time； cleaning out pots and pails； during slack periods when there were no jobs going on outside。
In the middle of the shop； under a two…armed gas pendant； was another table or bench； also thickly coated with old； dried paint； and by the side of this were two large stands on which were hanging up to dry some of the lathes of the venetian blinds belonging to ‘The Cave'； which Crass and Slyme were painting … piecework … in their spare time。 The remainder of the lathes were leaning against the walls or piled in stacks on the table。
Crass shivered with cold as he lit the two gas…jets。 ‘Make a bit of a fire； Alf； he said； ‘while I gets the colour ready。'
Slyme went outside and presently returned with his arms full of old wood； which he smashed up and threw into the fireplace； then he took an empty paint…pot and filled it with turpentine from the big tank and emptied it over the wood。 Amongst the pots on the mixing bench he found one full of old paint； and he threw this over the wood also； and in a few minutes he had made a roaring fire。
Meantime； Crass had prepared the paint and brushes and taken down the lathes from the drying frames。 The two men now proceeded with the painting of the blinds； working rapidly； each lathe being hung on the wires of the drying frame after being painted。 They talked freely as they worked； having no fear of being overheard by Rushton or Nimrod。 This job was piecework； so it didn't matter whether they talked or not。 They waxed hilarious over Old Latham's discomfiture and wondered what he would say if he could see them now。 Then the conversation drifted to the subject of the private characters of the other men who were employed by Rushton & Co。； and an impartial listener … had there been one there … would have been forced to come to the same conclusion as Crass and Slyme did： namely； that they themselves were the only two decent fellows on the firm。 There was something wrong or shady about everybody else。 That bloke Barrington； for instance … it was a very funny business； you know； for a chap like 'im to be workin' as a labourer； it looked very suspicious。 Nobody knowed exactly who 'e was or where 'e come from； but anyone could tell 'e'd been a toff。 It was very certain 'e'd never bin brought up to work for 'is livin'。 The most probable explanation was that 'e'd committed some crime and bin disowned by 'is family … pinched some money； or forged a cheque or something like that。 Then there was that Sawkins。 He was no class whatever。 It was a well…known fact that he used to go round to Misery's house nearly every night to tell him every little thing that had happened on the job during the day！ As for Payne； the foreman carpenter； the man was a perfect fool： he'd find out the difference if ever he got the sack from Rushton's and went to work for some other firm！ He didn't understand his trade； and he couldn't make a coffin properly to save 'is life！ Then there was that rotter Owen； there was a bright specimen for yer！ An Atheist！ didn't believe in no God or Devil or nothing else。 A pretty state of things there would be if these Socialists could have their own way： for one thing； nobody would be allowed to work overtime！
Crass and Slyme worked and talked in this manner till ten o'clock； and then they extinguished the fire by throwing some water on it … put out the gas and locked up the shop and the yard； dropping the key of the latter into the letter…box at Rushton's office on their way home。
In this way they worked at the blinds nearly every night for three weeks。
When Saturday arrived the； men working at ‘The Cave' were again surprised that nobody was sacked； and they were divided in opinio