I shrank away, trembling, and began to retreat down the avenue, this time with the men's faces towards me, ready to gaze in my red and guilty countenance, for I felt as if I had been guilty of some insult to the majesty of the printing-office. To my great relief, though, the men were too busy to notice me; but I heard one say to another, "Old Brimstone's hot this morning." Then I passed on, and saw the dark man looking at me silently from beneath his overhanging brows; and the next moment, heartsick and choking with the effects of this rebuff, the swing-door was thrown open by the fat-headed boy coming in, and as I passed out, unaccustomed to its spring, the boy contrived that it would strike me full in the back, just as if the overseer had given me a rude push to drive me away. I descended the stairs with the spirit for the moment crushed out of me; and with my eyes dim with disappointment, I was passing along the passage, when, as I came to the open door of the carpeted room, a man's voice exclaimed-- "No, no, Miss Carr, you really shall not. We'll send it on by one of the boys." "Oh, nonsense, Mr Lister; I can carry it." "Yes, yes; of course you can, but I shall not let you. Here, boy, come here." I entered the room nervously, to find myself in presence of a handsome, well-dressed man, another who was stout and elderly, and two young ladies, while upon the table lay a parcel of books, probably the subject of the remark. "Hallo! what boy are you?" said the younger man. "Oh! one of the new ones, I suppose." "No, sir," I said, with voice trembling and my face working, for I was unnerved by the treatment I had just received and the dashing of my hopes; "I came to be engaged, but--but the gentleman upstairs turned me away." "Why?" said the elder man sharply. "Because I had not been in the printing-office, sir." "Oh, of course!" he said, nodding. "Of course. We want lads accustomed to the trade, my man." "You should teach him the trade, Mr Ruddle," said one of the young ladies quickly, and I darted a look of gratitude at her. "Too busy, Miss Carr," he said, smiling at her. "We don't keep a printer's school." "I'll teach him," whispered the young man eagerly, though I heard him; "I'll teach him anything, if you'll promise not to be so cruel." "What a bargain!" she replied, laughing; and she turned away. "I don't think we need keep you, my lad," said the young man bitterly. "Indeed!" said the other young lady; "why, I thought he was to carry our parcel of books?" "But he is a strange boy, my dear young ladies," said the elder man; "I'll ring for one from the office." "No; don't, pray!" said the lady addressed as Miss Carr quickly. "I don't think we will carry the parcel. You will carry it for us, will you not?" "Oh, yes, indeed I will!" I cried eagerly; and I stepped forward, for there was something very winning in the speakers voice.