a job.

Several times during the summer the firm had scarcely anything to do,
and nearly everybody had to stand off for a few days or weeks.

When Newman got his first start in the early part of the year he had
only been working for about a fortnight when--with several others--he
was 'stood off'. Fortunately, however, the day after he left Rushtons,
he was lucky enough to get a start for another firm, Driver and
Botchit, where he worked for nearly a month, and then he was again
given a job at Rushton's, who happened to be busy again.

He did not have to lose much time, for he 'finished up' for Driver and
Botchit on a Thursday night and on the Friday he interviewed Misery,
who told him they were about to commence a fresh 'jab' on the following
Monday morning at six o'clock, and that he could start with them. So
this time Newman was only out of work the Friday and Saturday, which
was another stroke of luck, because it often happens that a man has to
lose a week or more after 'finishing up' for one firm before he gets
another 'job'.

All through the summer Crass continued to be the general 'colour-man',
most of his time being spent at the shop mixing up colours for all the
different 'jobs'. He also acted as a sort of lieutenant to Hunter,
who, as the reader has already been informed, was not a practical
painter. When there was a price to be given for some painting work,
Misery sometimes took Crass with him to look over it and help him to
estimate the amount of time and material it would take. Crass was thus
in a position of more than ordinary importance, not only being superior
to the 'hands', but also ranking above the other sub-foremen who had
charge of the 'jobs'.

It was Crass and these sub-foremen who were to blame for most of the
scamping and driving, because if it had not been for them neither
Rushton nor Hunter would have known how to scheme the work.

Of course, Hunter and Rushton wanted to drive and scamp, but not being
practical men they would not have known how if it had not been for
Crass and the others, who put them up to all the tricks of the trade.

Crass knew that when the men stayed till half past seven they were in
the habit of ceasing work for a few minutes to eat a mouthful of grub
about six o'clock, so he suggested to Misery that as it was not
possible to stop this, it would be a good plan to make the men stop
work altogether from half past five till six, and lose half an hour's
pay; and