ed being unable to give a
satisfactory explanation of his conduct he was usually sacked on the
spot.

Misery was frequently called 'up on the carpet' himself.

If he made a mistake in figuring out a 'job', and gave in too high a
tender for it, so that the firm did not get the work, Rushton grumbled.
If the price was so low that there was not enough profit, Rushton was
very unpleasant about it, and whenever it happened that there was not
only no profit but an actual loss, Rushton created such a terrible
disturbance that Misery was nearly frightened to death and used to get
on his bicycle and rush off to the nearest 'job' and howl and bellow at
the 'chaps' to get it done.

All the time the capabilities of the men--especially with regard to
speed--were carefully watched and noted: and whenever there was a
slackness of work and it was necessary to discharge some hands those
that were slow or took too much pains were weeded out: this of course
was known to the men and it had the desired effect upon them.

In justice to Rushton and Hunter, it must be remembered that there was
a certain amount of excuse for all this driving and cheating, because
they had to compete with all the other firms, who conducted their
business in precisely the same way. It was not their fault, but the
fault of the system.

A dozen firms tendered for every 'job', and of course the lowest tender
usually obtained the work. Knowing this, they all cut the price down
to the lowest possible figure and the workmen had to suffer.

The trouble was that there were too many 'masters'. It would have been
far better for the workmen if nine out of every ten of the employers
had never started business. Then the others would have been able to
get a better price for their work, and the men might have had better
wages and conditions. The hands, however, made no such allowances or
excuses as these for Misery and Rushton. They never thought or spoke
of them except with hatred and curses. But whenever either of them
came to the 'job' the 'coddies' cringed and grovelled before them,
greeting them with disgustingly servile salutations, plentifully
interspersed with the word 'Sir', greetings which were frequently
either ignored altogether or answered with an inarticulate grunt. They
said 'Sir' at nearly every second word: it made one feel sick to hear
them because it was not courtesy: they were never courteous to each
other, it was simply abject servility and s