"He's that friendly with us girls," she answered. "He's supposed to be
learning all there is to spinning, but he plays about half his time and
you can't help laughing. He's so friendly as if he was one of us; but
Sabina Dinnett is his pet. Wants to make her smoke cigarettes! But
there's no harm to him if you understand."

"There's always harm to a chap that plays about and don't look after his
own business," declared Job. "I understand his brother's been very
proper about him, and now it's up to him; and he ain't at the Mill to
offer the girls cigarettes."

"He's got his own room and Mister Best wishes he'd bide in it,"
explained Sarah, "but he says he must learn, and so he's always
wandering around. But everybody likes him, except Levi Baggs. He don't
like anybody. He'd like to draw us all over his hackling frames if he
could."

They chattered awhile, then worked again; but Sarah stayed to supper,
and it was not until half-past ten o'clock that she started for home.

Another Bridetown girl--Alice Chick, the spinner--had been spending her
half holiday in Bridport. Now she met Sarah, by appointment, at the top
of South Street and the two returned together.




CHAPTER VII