ously printed, were a source of unfailing amusement to the
educated book-buyers into whose hands they fell, for every page
contained the most hilarious blunders, whereby the best-known classics
assumed new and surprising disguises.

Henry took to the simple work eagerly, and displayed far greater
interest than his employer did in the books that came to light as the
case was gradually emptying. Now and again during the forenoon Mr.
Griggs would suddenly disappear from the parlour, as his thoughts
reverted to his suffering Dorking, only to return from his visit to the
poultry with a gloomy shake of the head.

When dinner-time arrived, Henry and Jenks were left in charge of the
shop while Mr. Pemble went home to dine, and the old bookseller shambled
upstairs to some of the unknown domestic rooms. Jenks, unabashed by
Henry's obvious determination not to familiarise with him, boldly asked
if he knew how to play that great and universal game of boyhood called
"knifey." When Henry said that he didn't, and hadn't time to think of
it, Jenks was filled with disgust, for he found it a delightful pastime
when the hours hung heavy on his hands, and he had been at the trouble
to import a specially soft piece of wood for the purpose of playing
"knifey" whenever an opportunity occurred. Failing Henry's assistance,
he brazenly proceeded to engage in the pastime by himself.

The task of cataloguing occupied but little of the afternoon, and for
the remainder of the day there was nothing to do but idling. Indeed,
Henry found himself wondering by what means Mr. Griggs contrived to
exist, as nothing seemed to matter beyond his devotion to the poultry
and Mr. Pemble's frequent inspections of his upper lip.

On the whole, the impression left by his first day at business was by no
means bright, as he could not suppose there would be books to catalogue
every day, and he had not seen more than half-a-dozen customers in the
shop.

CHAPTER IV

MR. TREVOR SMITH, IF YOU PLEASE

TEN days had passed, and the new assistant was more than ever at a loss
to understand how a business so laxly conducted and apparently so
unremunerative could provide a living for Mr. Griggs, Pemble, and Jenks.
Henry knew that he, at least, was no burden on his employer's finances;
but he was not yet aware that Mr. Pemble was there on a similar footing,
while Jenks's labours were rewarded weekly with half-a-crow