n.

This job was the cause of the sacking of the Semi-drunk and another man
named Bill Bates, who were sent into the kitchen to clean it down and
prepare it for painting and distempering.

They commenced to do it, but it made them feel so ill that they went
out and had a pint each, and after that they made another start at it.
But it was not long before they felt that it was imperatively necessary
to have another drink. So they went over to the pub, and this time
they had two pints each. Bill paid for the first two and then the
Semi-drunk refused to return to work unless Bill would consent to have
another pint with him before going back. When they had drunk the two
pints, they decided--in order to save themselves the trouble and risk
of coming away from the job--to take a couple of quarts back with them
in two bottles, which the landlord of the pub lent them, charging
twopence on each bottle, to be refunded when they were returned.

When they got back to the job they found the 'coddy' in the kitchen,
looking for them and he began to talk and grumble, but the Semi-drunk
soon shut him up: he told him he could either have a drink out of one
of the bottles or a punch in the bloody nose--whichever he liked! Or
if he did not fancy either of these alternatives, he could go to hell!

As the 'coddy' was a sensible man he took the beer and advised them to
pull themselves together and try to get some work done before Misery
came, which they promised to do.

When the 'coddy' was gone they made another attempt at the work. Misery
came a little while afterwards and began shouting at them because he
said he could not see what they had done. It looked as if they had
been asleep all the morning: Here it was nearly ten o'clock, and as far
as he could see, they had done Nothing!

When he was gone they drank the rest of the beer and then they began to
feel inclined to laugh. What did they care for Hunter or Rushton
either? To hell with both of 'em! They left off scraping and
scrubbing, and began throwing buckets of water over the dresser and the
walls, laughing uproariously all the time.

'We'll show the b--s how to wash down paintwork!' shouted the
Semi-drunk, as he stood in the middle of the room and hurled a pailful
of water over the door of the cupboard. 'Bring us another bucket of
water, Bill.'

Bill was out in the scullery filling his pail under the tap, and
laughing so much that he could scarcely stand. As soon as