when there was a large demand for labor, for the
younger and stronger men were preferred when
times were slack. He had spent a week, now, on
the benches of the Embankment; but things looked
brighter for next week, and he might possibly get
in a few days work and have a bed in some doss-
house. He had lived all his life in London, save
for five years, when, in 1878, he saw foreign service
in India.

Of course he would eat; so would the girl. Days
like this were uncommon hard on such as they,
though the coppers were so busy poor folk could
get in more sleep. I awoke the girl, or woman
rather, for she was " Eyght an twenty, sir "; and
we started for a coffee-house.

"Wot a lot o work, puttin up the lights," said
the man at sight of some building superbly illumi
nated. This was the keynote of his being. All
his life he had worked, and the whole objective
universe, as well as his own soul, he could express
in terms only of work. " Coronations is some good,"
he went on. " They give work to men."

"But your belly is empty," I said.

"Yes," he answered. " I tried, but there wasn t
any chawnce. My age is against me. Wot do you
work at ? Seafarin chap, eh ? I knew it from
yer clothes."

"I know wot you are," said the girl, " an Eye-
talian."

[[151]]

p150 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p151w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p152

v?