June During the early part of May the weather was exceptionally bad, with bitterly cold winds.Rain fell nearly every day, covering the roads with a slush that penetrated the rotten leather of the cheap or second-hand boots worn by the workmen.This weather had the effect of stopping nearly all outside work, and also caused a lot of illness, for those who were so fortunate as to have inside jobs frequently got wet through on their way to work in the morning and had to work all day in damp clothing, and with their boots saturated with water.It was also a source of trouble to those of the men who had allotments, because if it had been fine they would have been able to do something to their gardens while they were out of work.
Newman had not succeeded in getting a job at the trade since he came out of prison, but he tried to make a little money by hawking bananas.
Philpot - when he was at work - used often to buy a tanner's or a bob's worth from him and give them to Mrs Linden's children.On Saturdays Old Joe used to waylay these children and buy them bags of cakes at the bakers.One week when he knew that Mrs Linden had not had much work to do, he devised a very cunning scheme to help her.He had been working with Slyme, who was papering a large boarded ceiling in a shop.It had to be covered with unbleached calico before it could be papered and when the work was done there were a number of narrow pieces of calico left over.These he collected and tore into strips about six inches wide which he took round to Mrs Linden, and asked her to sew them together, end to end, so as to make one long strip: then this long strip had to be cut into four pieces of equal length and the edges sewn together in such a manner that it would form a long tube.Philpot told her that it was required for some work that Rushton's were doing, and said he had undertaken to get the sewing done.The firm would have to pay for it, so she could charge a good price.
`You see,' he said with a wink, `this is one of those jobs where we gets a chance to get some of our own back.'
Mary thought it was rather a strange sort of job, but she did as Philpot directed and when he came for the stuff and asked how much it was she said threepence: it had only taken about half an hour.
Philpot ridiculed this: it was not nearly enough.THEY were not supposed to know how long it took: it ought to be a bob at the very least.So, after some hesitation she made out a bill for that amount on a half-sheet of note-paper.He brought her the money the next Saturday afternoon and went off chuckling to himself over the success of the scheme.It did not occur to him until the next day that he might just as well have got her to make him an apron or two: and when he did think of this he said that after all it didn't matter, because if he had done that it would have been necessary to buy new calico, and anyhow, it could be done some other time.
Newman did not make his fortune out of the bananas - seldom more than two shillings a day - and consequently he was very glad when Philpot called at his house one evening and told him there was a chance of a job at Rushton's.Newman accordingly went to the yard the next morning, taking his apron and blouse and his bag of tools with him, ready to start work.He got there at about quarter to six and was waiting outside when Hunter arrived.The latter was secretly very glad to see him, for there was a rush of work in and they were short of men.He did not let this appear, of course, but hesitated for a few minutes when Newman repeated the usual formula: `Any chance of a job, sir?'
`We wasn't at all satisfied with you last time you was on, you know,'
said Misery.`Still, I don't mind giving you another chance.But if you want to hold your job you'll have to move yourself a bit quicker than you did before.'
Towards the end of the month things began to improve all round.The weather became finer and more settled.As time went on the improvement was maintained and nearly everyone was employed.
Rushton's were so busy that they took on several other old hands who had been sacked the previous year for being too slow.
Thanks to the influence of Crass, Easton was now regarded as one of the regular hands.He had recently resumed the practice of spending some of his evenings at the Cricketers.It is probable that even if it had not been for his friendship with Crass, he would still have continued to frequent the public house, for things were not very comfortable at home.Somehow or other, Ruth and he seemed to be always quarrelling, and he was satisfied that it was not always his fault.Sometimes, after the day's work was over he would go home resolved to be good friends with her: he would plan on his way homewards to suggest to her that they should have their tea and then go out for a walk with the child.Once or twice she agreed, but on each occasion, they quarrelled before they got home again.So after a time he gave up trying to be friends with her and went out by himself every evening as soon as he had had his tea.
Mary Linden, who was still lodging with them, could not help perceiving their unhappiness: she frequently noticed that Ruth's eyes were red and swollen as if with crying, and she gently sought to gain her confidence, but without success.On one occasion when Mary was trying to advise her, Ruth burst out into a terrible fit of weeping, but she would not say what was the cause - except that her head was aching - she was not well, that was all.
Sometimes Easton passed the evening at the Cricketers but frequently he went over to the allotments, where Harlow had a plot of ground.
