th were chattering with cold.

'I could just do with a nice pint of beer, now,' he said as he stamped
his feet on the pound.

'That's just what I was thinkin',' said Philpot, wistfully, 'and what's
more, I mean to 'ave one, too, at dinner-time. I shall nip down to the
"Cricketers". Even if I don't get back till a few minutes after one,
it won't matter, because Crass and Nimrod will be gorn to the funeral.'

'Will you bring me a pint back with you, in a bottle?' asked Easton.

'Yes, certainly,' said Philpot.

Harlow said nothing. He also would have liked a pint of beer, but, as
was usual with him, he had not the necessary cash. Having restored the
circulation to a certain extent, they now resumed their work, and only
just in time, for a few minutes afterwards they observed Misery peeping
round the corner of the house at them and they wondered how long he had
been there, and whether he had overheard their conversation.

At twelve o'clock Crass and Slyme cleared off in a great hurry, and a
little while afterwards, Philpot took off his apron and put on his coat
to go to the 'Cricketers'. When the others found out where he was
going, several of them asked him to bring back a drink for them, and
then someone suggested that all those who wanted some beer should give
twopence each. This was done: one shilling and fourpence was collected
and given to Philpot, who was to bring back a gallon of beer in a jar.
He promised to get back as soon as ever he could, and some of the
shareholders decided not to drink any tea with their dinners, but to
wait for the beer, although they knew that it would be nearly time to
resume work before he could get back. It would be a quarter to one at
the very earliest.

The minutes dragged slowly by, and after a while the only man on the
job who had a watch began to lose his temper and refused to answer any
more inquiries concerning the time. So presently Bert was sent up to
the top of the house to look at a church clock which was visible
therefrom, and when he came down he reported that it was ten minutes to
one.

Symptoms of anxiety now began to manifest themselves amongst the
shareholders, several of whom went down to the main road to see if
Philpot was yet in sight, but each returned with the same report--they
could see nothing of him.

No one was formally 'in charge' of the job during Crass's absence, but
they all returned to their work promptly at one because they feared
that S