His heart warmed to these simple little fellows, who thought none the worse of him for being ugly and clumsy.
With Mrs Trimble, too, he anticipated not much difficulty.

Young Trimble was a rock ahead undoubtedly, but Jeffreys would stand him as long as he could, and not anticipate the day, which he felt to be inevitable, when he would be able to stand him no longer.
"Well, Mr Jeffreys," said Mrs Trimble, as the dame and her two assistants sat down to tea, "how do you manage ?" "Pretty well, thank you, ma'am," replied Jeffreys; "they are a nice lot of little boys, and I found them very good and quiet." "Of course you would, if you let them do as they like," said Jonah.
"You'll have to keep them in, I can tell you, if you expect to keep order." It did occur to Jeffreys that if they were good without being kept in, Jonah ought to be satisfied, but he was too wise to embark on a discussion with his colleague, and confined his attentions to Mrs Trimble.
The meal being ended, he said-- "Will you excuse me, ma'am, if I go into the city for about an hour?
I have to call at the post-office for letters." "Look here," said Jonah, "we don't let our assistants out any time they like.

It's not usual.

They ought to stay here.

There's plenty of work to do here." "It's very important for me to get the letters, Mrs Trimble," said Jeffreys.
"Well, of course, this once," said the matron, glancing uneasily at her son; "but, as Jonah says, we like our young men to stay in, especially at night.