“You judge of everything, son, as if this were England,” said Mr. Bruce. “Our people do not turn off work like the labourers you have been accustomed to see.” “Mr. Mitchelson must know best, of course,” replied Alfred; “but does your surveyor, or contractor, or whoever he be, bid you wait three months?” “He will when he hears the story which I am now on my way to tell him. I can’t stop, so good morning.” “Let me go with you,—may I?” said Alfred. “I like to see and hear everything I can.” Mr. Mitchelson professing himself glad of his company, Alfred turned his horse’s head in search of the contractor. While this important personage was musing and calculating, Mr. Mitchelson kept urging,— “Time, you know, is everything. Anything to save time.” Alfred modestly suggested that it would be worth trying the experiment of making the slaves as much like English labourers for the occasion as possible. Mitchelson laughed at the idea; but asked the contractor how long the repairs would take if the number of slaves he meant to employ were English labourers? “From twelve to fifteen days, I should think.” “And how long if they work like slaves in general?” “Probably sixty days.” “Somewhat under the time I fixed in my own mind. You know, Alfred, I said three months at a round guess.” “I wish—I wish——” Alfred kept saying, half to himself. “What do you wish?” said the contractor, who understood the value of labour, and suspected that he and Alfred were of the same way of thinking on that class of subjects; “what is it you wish?” “Perhaps Mr. Mitchelson will laugh at me for the notion; but I wish he would let you and me manage this affair, as we shall agree; you pledging yourself for the cost, and I for the time. You shall arrange the work, and I will manage the slaves.” “In that case,” replied the contractor, “I would engage to finish the repairs in twenty days.” “Twenty days!” cried Mitchelson. “My dear sir, you were more right in saying sixty. You will not do it under sixty. But you may try. I give you _carte blanche_; and to leave you perfectly free, I will go away. I want to go into Berbice, and I may as well do it now while our regular business is stopped.” The other contracting parties were by no means sorry for this. Alfred’s partner returned with him, and operations were commenced immediately.