'Let us apply ourselves now to the ways and means of the dissolution. That, at any rate, may be amicable.' It was quite evident that he fully declined further allusion to the subject. And Mr. Henry Hunter obtained no better elucidation, then or later. It fell upon the world like a thunderbolt--that is, the world connected with Hunter and Hunter. _They_ separate? so flourishing a firm as that? The world at first refused to believe it; but the world soon found it was true. Mr. Hunter retained the yard where the business was at present carried on. Mr. Henry Hunter found other premises to suit him; not far off; a little more to the west. Considerably surprised were Mrs. Hunter and Mrs. Henry Hunter; but the same plausible excuse was given to them; and they were left in ignorance of the true cause. 'Will you remain with me?' pointedly asked Mr. Hunter of Austin Clay. 'I particularly wish it.' 'As you and Mr. Henry may decide, sir,' was the reply given. 'It is not for me to choose.' 'We could both do with you, I believe. I had better talk it over with him.' 'That will be the best plan,' sir. 'What do you part for?' abruptly inquired Dr. Bevary one day of the two brothers, coming into the counting-house and catching them together. Mr. Henry raised his eyebrows. Mr. Hunter spoke volubly. 'The business is getting too large. It will be better divided.' 'Moonshine!' cried the doctor, quietly. 'That's what you have been cramming your wives with; it won't do for me. When a concern gets unwieldy, a man takes a partner to help him on with it; _you_ are separating. There's many a firm larger than yours. Do you remember the proverb of the bundle of sticks?' But neither Dr. Bevary nor anybody else got at a better reason than that for the measure. The dissolution of partnership took place; it was duly gazetted, and the old firm became two. Austin remained with Mr. Hunter, and he was the only living being who gave a guess, or who could give a guess, at the real cause of separation--the drawing out of that five thousand pounds. And yet--it was not the drawing out of that first five thousand pounds, that finally decided Mr. Henry Hunter to enforce the step, so much as the thought that other thousands might perhaps be following it. He could not divest his mind of the fear. PART THE SECOND. CHAPTER I. A MEETING OF THE WORKMEN. For several years after the separation of Hunter and Hunter, things went on smoothly; at least there was no event sufficiently marked that we need linger to trace it. Each had a flourishing business, though Mr. Hunter had some difficulty in staving off embarrassment in the financial department: a fact which was well known to Austin Clay, who was now confidential manager--head of all, under Mr. Hunter.