Now, the rule in most shops in London is, take care of yourself, and let others look out o' their own side; but I never found myself any the worse off for helping a lame dog over a stile: so I kept on giving my mate a lift in the shape of a word here or there, so that he got on a little better, but very slowly; for a man can't fall into the knack of it all at once. But he'd a good heart, and that "will do it" sorter stuff that makes men get on in the world and rise above their fellows; and he stuck at it till I saw him tear a strip off his handkerchief and bind it round his chafed finger, so that the blood shouldn't soil the books; and though he didn't say much, I could see by his looks as he thanked me. Towards afternoon, while the foreman was out of the way, one of the men comes up for this new chap's footing; and being a big shop, where good wages were made, it was five shillings. I didn't take much notice, for it warn't my business; but I saw the young fellow colour up and hesitate, and stammer, as he says,-- "You must let me off till wages are paid;" but my gentleman begins to bluster, and he says,-- "That comes o' working aside Tom Hodson, a scaly humbug as never paid his own footings; but we ain't a-going to stand any more o' that sort o' thing; and if you can't come the reg'lar, you'll soon find the place too hot to hold you." I felt as if I should have liked to give my man one for his nob, but went on with my work; and after a bit more rowing, they left the young chap alone; for I could see how the wind lay--he hadn't got the money, and no wonder; but all that afternoon and next morning the chaps were pitching sneers and jeers about from one to another; about the workus, and a lot more of it, till, being quite a young chap, I could see more than once the tears in his eyes. Everybody cut him, and when he asked a civil question no one would answer; and after tea the second night, when I got back, there was a regular chorus of laughter, for the young chap was standing red and angry by his lot of books, where some one had been shying a lot o' dirty water over them, so as would spoil perhaps four shillings' worth of sheets, and get the poor chap into a row as well as having to pay for them. Now, when we went to tea that night, I'd on the quiet asked him how he stood, and lent him the money, thinking it would be better paid, for they'd always have had a spite against him else; and now seeing this I felt quite mad and spoke up:-- "Looks like one of that cowardly hound Bill Smith's tricks," I says; and Bill, being a great hairy, six-foot-two fellow, puts on the bully, and comes across the shop to me as if he was going to punch my head.