on the walls and ceiling of the
room, it will stand all the looking at that anyone in this town is
likely to give it.'

'Let's see,' he continued. 'He said three weeks, but he's so anxious
to do the job that he's most likely under-estimated the time; I'd
better allow four weeks: that means about 200 hours: 200 hours at
eight-pence: how much is that? And say he has a painter to help him
half the time. 100 hours at sixpence-ha'penny.'

He consulted a ready reckoner that was on the desk.

'Time, L9.7.6. Materials: fifteen books of gold, say a pound. Then
there's the cartridge paper and the colours--say another pound, at the
outside. Boy's time? Well, he gets no wages as yet, so we needn't
mention that at all. Then there's the preparing of the room. Three
coats of white paint. I wish Hunter was here to give me an idea what
it will cost.'

As if in answer to his wish, Nimrod entered the office at that moment,
and in reply to Rushton's query said that to give the walls and ceiling
three coats of paint would cost about three pounds five for time and
material. Between them the two brain workers figured that fifteen
pounds would cover the entire cost of the work--painting and decorating.

'Well, I reckon we can charge Sweater forty-five pounds for it,' said
Rushton. 'It isn't like an ordinary job, you know. If he gets a
London firm to do it, it'll cost him double that, if not more.'

Having arrived at this decision, Rushton rung up Sweater's Emporium on
the telephone, and, finding that Mr Sweater was there, he rolled up the
designs and set out for that gentleman's office.

The men work with their hands, and the masters work with their brains.
What a dreadful calamity it would be for the world and for mankind if
all these brain workers were to go on strike.

Chapter 15

The Undeserving Persons and the Upper and Nether Millstones

Hunter had take on three more painters that morning. Bundy and two
labourers had commenced the work of putting in the new drains; the
carpenters were back again doing some extra work, and there was also a
plumber working on the house; so there was quite a little crowd in the
kitchen at dinner-time. Crass had been waiting for a suitable
opportunity to produce the newspaper cutting which it will be
remembered he showed to Easton on Monday morning, but he had waited in
vain, for there had been scarcely any 'political' talk at meal-times
all the week, and it was now Thursday.