work, however, for three hours in order to devote himself to the
shop cases, which were to be chef d'oeuvres.



CHAPTER VII: AN OLD FRIEND


For three months Frank passed a quiet and not unpleasant life with
the old naturalist in Ratcliff Highway. The latter took a great
liking to him, and treated him like a son rather than an assistant.
The two took their meals together now, and Frank's salary had been
raised from twelve to eighteen shillings a week. So attractive
had the cases in the windows proved that quite a little crowd
was generally collected round them, and the business had greatly
augmented. The old naturalist was less pleased at this change than
most men would have been in his position. He had got into a groove
and did not care to get out of it. He had no relatives or any one
dependent on him, and he had been well content to go on in a jog
trot way, just paying his expenses of shop and living. The extra
bustle and push worried rather than pleased him.

"I am an old man," he said to Frank one day, as after the shop was
closed they sat over their tea. "I have no motive in laying by
money, and had enough for my wants. I was influenced more by my
liking for your face and my appreciation of your talent, than by
any desire of increasing my business. I am taking now three times
as much as I did before. Now I should not mind, indeed, I should
be glad, if I thought that you would succeed me here as a son would
do. I would gladly take you into partnership with me, and you would