If some of you don't make a better show than this, I'll 'ave to 'ave a Alteration! There's plenty of chaps walkin' about doin' nothin' who'll be only too glad of a job!' He went into the scullery, where Crass was mixing some colour.
'Look 'ere, Crass!' he said.

'I'm not at all satisfied with the way you're gettin' on with the work.

You must push the chaps a bit more than you're doin'.

There's not enough being done, by a long way.

We shall lose money over this job before we're finished!' Crass--whose fat face had turned a ghastly green with fright--mumbled something about getting on with it as fast as he could.
'Well, you'll 'ave to make 'em move a bit quicker than this!' Misery howled, 'or there'll 'ave to be a ALTERATION!' By an 'alteration' Crass understood that he might get the sack, or that someone else might be put in charge of the job, and that would of course reduce him to the ranks and do away with his chance of being kept on longer than the others.