"The boys told me you were crippled by your pains." "I was.

The pain's gone." "Rest's a good cure," said Wilkinson.

"You got laid off on Saturday, didn't you ?" The curiosity that had made Charnock stop was satisfied.

Since Wilkinson's work kept him at some distance from the gravel gang, it looked as if he had made inquiries about Charnock, and had probably been surprised to learn he had started with the others.

There was, however, no use in taxing the fellow with trying to make him drunk, because he would deny that he knew anything about the whisky or declare that he had sent it with a friendly object.
"Yes," he said, "but I didn't need the cure as badly as you think.
However, I'm not in a talkative mood and this bag is heavy.