eman in there," said Horace, addressing the lugubrious youth
as being the more imposing of the two, "said if I came to you you could
set me to work."

The sad one gave a sort of groan and said,--

"Ah, he was right there. It _is_ work."

"I say," said the other youth, looking up, "don't frighten the kid,
Booms; you'll make him run away."

"I wish _I_ could run away," said Booms, in an audible soliloquy.

"So you can if you like, you old crocodile. I say, young 'un, have you
got a chair?"

Horace had to confess he had not a chair about him.

"That's a go; we've only two here. We shall have to take turns on them.
Booms will stand first, won't you, Booms?"

"Oh, of course," said Booms, rising and pushing his chair towards
Horace.

"Thanks," said Horace, "but I'd sooner stand, really."

"No, no," said Booms, resignedly; "I'm to stand, Waterford says so."

"Sit down, young 'un," said Waterford, "and don't mind him. He won't
say so, but he's awfully glad to stand up for a bit and stretch his
legs. Now, do you see this lot of morning papers--you'll see a lot of
paragraphs marked at the side with a blue pencil. You've got to cut
them out. Mind you don't miss any. Sure you understand?"

Horace expressed himself equal to this enormous task, and set to work
busily with his scissors.

If he had had no one but himself to consider he would have felt
comparatively happy. He found himself in a department of work which he
liked, and which, though at first not very exciting, promised some day
to become interesting. His chief was a gentleman not likely to
interfere with him as long as he did his work steadily, and his
companions were not only friendly but entertaining. If only Reginald
could have a seat at this table too, Horace felt he could face the
future cheerily. How, he wondered, was the poor fellow getting on that
moment in his distant uncongenial work?

"You're not obliged to read all the paragraphs, you know," said
Waterford, as Horace's hand slackened amid these musings. "It's a close
shave to get done as it is, and he's marked a frightful lot this
morning."

He was right. All the cuttings had to be taken out and pasted on sheets
before twelve o'clock, and it took the three of them, hard at work with
scissors and paste, to get the task accomplished. They talked very
little, and joked still less; but when it was all done, like three
honest men, they felt pleased with themselves, and decidedly ami