---"

"Coward," finished Garstin quietly.

"No-o, that's not exactly the word," said Trevannion lamely, and waited
for explanation or extenuation.

But none came. It was as if the boy was quite aware of the cowardice,
and did not wish his companion to consider it anything else.
Trevannion's mind marvelled at the seeming abasement.

A few days later Trevannion reported progress to his wife anent the new
assistant, whom for some strange reason he had grown positively to like.

"Wonderfully brainy chap, Garstin. He has helped me no end with Section
D--you know, where we have had all the trouble. With luck we shall have
it finished in a week or two. At the same time"--with conviction--"he
will never make a practical engineer. Wouldn't be any good in an
emergency. No nerve--no nerve at all. Seems to go to bits directly he
gets outside the office. Can't even look down into the section without
holding on to something. If a crane starts anywhere near, it makes him
jump, and as to being any good with the gang, why, he daren't speak to
one of them. Only this afternoon, when O'Donnell came and blustered----"

"O'Donnell?" said his wife.

"Yes--a man I sacked for being drunk and fighting. He came to the office
this afternoon and asked to be taken on again. He said he could get no
other job, and his wife and children were starving. I told him that the
regulations would not admit of his re-employment; besides, I had
reported him as dismissed and filled up the vacancy. Then he started
cursing and threatening that he would do for the wharf and for me too,
unless I relented. Of course I didn't relent. I turned him out--he was
half-drunk. And there--what do you think?--there was Garstin with his
hands covering his face, shivering and shaking as if he had seen a
ghost.

"'I am sure that fellow means mischief, Mr. Trevannion,' he muttered.
'I'm sure he does--I read it in his eyes. Hadn't you better take him
back--just for the sake of his wife?'

"Of course I couldn't--wouldn't. But Garstin's a brainy beggar--oh,
wonderfully brainy."

* * * * *

There came a certain Friday evening when the two men sat late in their
office, compiling the weekly report. Trevannion was in high good-humour;
for had not their joint efforts, as he liked to call Garstin's useful
suggestions, proved successful in ousting the river finally from Section
D? and was not that troublesome part of the wharf ready for good
concr