the account-book before him.

"You've been saying that for three hours!" complained the other.

"Well, see if it doesn't come true this time," said the older clerk,
kindly. "He'll make it up to you."

This view of the case did not seem to appeal very strongly to the young
man; he simply grunted.

"_I_'m going to give him notice. I'll not be put upon this way--"
bristled a yet younger clerk, stepping down from his high stool in a
corner and squaring his shoulders with martial manifestations.

This unexpected interposition appeared to be the outlet the older
grumbler wanted.

"Yes, you will!" he sneered with disdain, turning his eyes on his junior
derisively. He could at least bully Sipkins.

For response, the youngster walked with a firm tread straight up to the
door of the private office; put out his hand so quickly that the other's
eyes opened wide; then turned so suddenly as to catch his derider's look
of wonder; stuck out his tongue in triumph at the success of his ruse,
and walked on to the window.

"He'll be through directly, see if he is not," reiterated the senior
clerk with kindly intonation. "Don't make a noise, there's a good
fellow;" and once more John Clark, the dean of the office, guilefully
buried himself in his columns.