There was a sharp step, and the door was flung wide open and closed, when my friend the overseer, who had been so rough to me on the previous day, came out and pretty nearly knocked me down. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. MY FIRST LITERARY EFFORTS. I MAKE ANOTHER FRIEND. The overseer and I stood in the dim light gazing at one another for a few moments, during which I seemed to read in his sharp, harsh face an air of resentment at my presence. "Hallo!" he said, in an angry voice, and evidently rejoicing at having encountered some one upon whom he could vent a little of the anger seething within him. "What, are you here again, you young vagabond? Didn't I tell you yesterday to go about your business? Be off with you, or I'll send for a policeman. How dare you! What do you mean?" "But please, sir," I remonstrated. "Will you be off?" he roared; and I felt that I was about to be driven from the place, when the proprietor's door was sharply opened and Mr Lister appeared. "Confound it all, Grimstone," he cried, "what's the matter now? Look here, sir; I will not have this bullying and noise in the place." "Your father never spoke to me like that, Mr John, when he was alive." "My father put up with a great deal from you, Grimstone, because you were an old and faithful servant of the firm; but that is no reason why I, his son, should submit to what is sometimes bordering on insolence." "Insolence, Mr John?" "Yes, Grimstone, insolence." "What _is_ the matter?" said Mr Ruddle, coming out. "Mr John says I'm insolent, Mr Ruddle," said the overseer angrily; "was I ever insolent to you, sir, or his father?" "Well, if you want the truth, Grimstone, you often were very insolent, only we put up with it for old acquaintance' sake. But what's the matter now?" "I was just speaking to this young vagabond, who persists in hanging about the place, sir, when Mr John came out and attacked me, sir." "Don't call names, Grimstone," said Mr Lister hotly. "This young vagabond, as you call him, is a fresh boy whom Mr Ruddle has taken on, and whom I desire you to treat kindly." "Why didn't he speak, then," said the overseer angrily; "how was I to know that he was engaged? In Mr Lister senior's time the engaging of boys for the office was left to the overseer." He stalked off, evidently in high dudgeon, leaving the masters gazing at one another. "He grows insufferable," said Mr Lister angrily. "One would think the place belonged to him." "Yes, he is rough," said Mr Ruddle; "but he's a good overseer, John, and a faithful old servant. He was with us when we first began. Well, my boy, you've come then; now go upstairs to the composing-room, and ask Mr Grimstone to give you a job; he'll be a bit cross, I dare say, but you must not mind that." "No; sir; I'll try not." "That's right," he said, giving me a friendly nod, and I hurried upstairs and walked right through the composing-room to Mr Grimstone's glass case.