g the
doors and other woodwork with white enamel. The men had not been
allowed to spend the time necessary to prepare this work in a proper
manner, it had not been rubbed down smooth or properly filled up, and
it had not had a sufficient number of coats of paint to make it solid
white. Now that the glossy enamel was put on, the work looked rather
rough and shady.

'It ain't 'arf all right, ain't it?' remarked Harlow, sarcastically,
indicating the door he had just finished.

Easton laughed: 'I can't understand how people pass such work,' he said.

'Old Sweater did make some remark about it the other day,' replied
Harlow, 'and I heard Misery tell 'im it was impossible to make a
perfect job of such old doors.'

'I believe that man's the biggest liar Gord ever made,' said Easton, an
opinion in which Harlow entirely concurred.

'I wonder what the time is?' said the latter after a pause.

'I don't know exactly,' replied Easton, 'but it can't be far off
twelve.'

''E don't seem to be comin', does 'e?' Harlow continued.

'No: and I shouldn't be surprised if 'e didn't turn up at all, now.
P'raps 'e don't mean to stop nobody today after all.'

They spoke in hushed tones and glanced cautiously about them fearful of
being heard or observed.

'This is a bloody life, ain't it?' Harlow said, bitterly. 'Workin' our
guts out like a lot of slaves for the benefit of other people, and then
as soon as they've done with you, you're chucked aside like a dirty
rag.'

'Yes: and I begin to think that a great deal of what Owen says is true.
But for my part I can't see 'Ow it's ever goin' to be altered, can you?'

Blowed if I know, mate. But whether it can be altered or not, there's
one thing very certain; it won't be done in our time.'

Neither of them seemed to think that if the 'alteration' they spoke of
were to be accomplished at all they themselves would have to help to
bring it about.

'I wonder what they're doin' about the venetian blinds?' said Easton.
'Is there anyone doin' em yet?'

'I don't know; ain't 'eard nothing about 'em since the boy took 'em to
the shop.'

There was quite a mystery about these blinds. About a month ago they
were taken to the paint-shop down at the yard to be repainted and
re-harnessed, and since then nothing had been heard of them by the men
working at the 'Cave'.

'P'hap's a couple of us will be sent there to do 'em next week,'
remarked Harlow.

'P'hap's so. Most likely they'll 'av