Ta-ta." I departed rather disconsolately, and waited half an hour outside in the street for Smith.
"Well," said I, when presently he appeared, "how did you get on ?" "Not very grand," said he.

"I had to do some accounts like you.

I heard one of the partners say yours were pretty good when the clerk brought them in." "Really ?" cried I, with pleasure I could hardly disguise.

"But, I say, Jack, unless you get on too, it'll be an awful sell." "We can't both get on," said Jack.
"I don't know," said I.

And I related what I had overheard in the counting-house.
Smith brightened up at this.