side, not much caring
where he went or whom he met. If he were to meet Mr Barber, or Mr
Durfy, or the manager himself, so much the better. As it happened, he
met Horace, looking comparatively cheerful, with some papers in his
hand.

"Hullo, Reg," said he; "have they promoted you to a `printer's devil'
too? Fancy what Bland would say if he saw us! Never mind, there's four
hours gone, and in about another six we shall be home with mother
again."

"I shall be home before then," said Reg. "I'm going now. I can't stand
it, Horace."

Horace stared at his brother in consternation.

"Oh, Reg, old man, you mustn't; really you mustn't. Do let's stick
together, however miserable it is. It's sure to seem worse at first."

"It's all very well for you, Horace, doing messenger work. You haven't
been set to sweep out a room."

Horace whistled.

"Whew! that _is_ a drop too much! But," he added, taking his brother's
arm, "don't cut it yet, old man, for mother's sake, don't. I'll come
and help you do it if I can. Why couldn't they have given it me to do,
and let you go the messages!"

Reginald said nothing, but let his brother lead him back slowly to the
big room presided over by Mr Durfy.

"Where is it?" Horace inquired of him at the door.

"That little room in the corner."

"All right. I'll come if I possibly can. Do try it, old man, won't
you?"

"I'll try it," said Reginald, with something very like a groan as he
opened the door and walked grimly back to the back case-room.

Horace, full of fear and trembling on his brother's account, hurried
with his copy to Mr Durfy, and waited impatiently till that grandee
condescended to relieve him of it.

"Is there anything else?" he inquired, as he gave it up.

"Anything else? Yes, plenty; but don't come bothering me now."

Horace waited for no more elaborate statement of Mr Durfy's wishes, but
thankfully withdrew, and made straight for Reginald.

He found him half hidden, half choked by the dust of his own raising, as
he drew his broom in a spiritless way across the black dry floor.

He paused in his occupation as Horace entered, and for a moment, as the
two stood face to face coughing and sneezing, a sense of the ludicrous
overcame them, and they finished up their duet with a laugh.

"I say," said Horace, as soon as he could get words, "I fancy a little
water would be an improvement here."

"Where are we to get it from?" said Reg.

"I suppose there m