ain. Pass the
gum. Oh!"

"What's the matter?"

"Here's `mogany' lower down, and `Tarpet' for `Turkey carpet.'"

"Write it again, do," I said, for I dreaded the scene that I knew there
would be.

"Ah, well, all right, but I know I shall muddle it again, and--"

"As usual," cried Mr Dempster, and we both started back on to our
stools, for we had been standing up on the rails leaning towards each
other over the double desk, so intent on the errors that we had not
heard him open the door softly--I believe, on purpose to surprise us.

We began writing hard, and I felt my heart beating fast, as our employer
banged the door heavily and strode up to the desk.

I gave one quick glance at him as he turned to Esau's side, and snatched
up the sheet of paper the boy tried to hide under the blotting-pad; and
as I looked I saw that his face was flushed and fierce-looking as I had
never seen it before.

"Hah!" he ejaculated, as he took off his glossy hat and stood it on a
chair, with his ivory-handled Malacca cane across it. "Pretty stuff
this, upon my word. Here, let me look at that letter."

He reached over and snatched the missive I was writing from the desk,
and held it up before him.

"Do you call that writing?" he roared. "Disgraceful! Abominable! The
first boy I met in the street would do better. There--and there--and
there!"

He tore the letter to fragments and threw the paper in my face.

"Now then; write another directly," he cried; "and if you dare to--Here,
what are you going to do?" he roared, as Esau took hold of the sheet of
paper containing the errors.

"Going to write it over again, sir."

"Write it over again, you miserable impostor!" he cried, as he snatched
the paper back and laid a leaden weight upon it. "I'll teach you to
waste my time and paper gossiping--that's what it means."

"Here, what are you going to do?" cried Esau, as Mr Dempster seized him
by the collar.

"I'll show you what I'm going to do, you idle young scoundrel," cried
Mr Dempster, and he reached out his hand to take his stout cane from
where it lay across his hat.

"Here, don't you hit me," cried Esau; and he tried to get away, as I sat
breathless, watching all that was going on, and thinking that Mr
Dempster dared not use the walking-cane in the way he seemed to
threaten. Esau evidently thought he would, for he struggled hard now,
but in vain, and he was dragged towards the chair. Then, as pulling
seemed no use,