This letter was written, and Bayne made it as oleaginous as language permits; and there the matter rested apparently.

But, as usual, after the polite came the phonetic.  Next week Henry got a letter thus worded:—­

“Mister LITL,—­If them grinders of yores dosent send their money i shall com an’ fech strings if the devil stans i’ t’ road.

“Moonraker.”

Mr. Little tossed this epistle contemptuously into the fire, and invented on.

Two days after that he came to the works, and found the saw grinders standing in a group, with their hands in their pockets.

“Well, lads, what’s up?”

“Mary Anne has been here.”

“And two pair of wheel-bands gone.”

“Well, men, you know whose fault it is.”

“Nay, but it is ——­ hard my work should be stopped because another man is in arrears with trade.  What d’ye think to do, Governor? buy some more bands?”

“Certainly not.  I won’t pay for your fault.  It is a just claim, you know.  Settle it among yourselves.”

With this he retired to his studio.

When the men saw he did not care a button whether his grindstones revolved or not, they soon brought the defaulters to book.  Bayne was sent upstairs, to beg Mr. Little to advance the trade contributions, and step the amount from the defaulters’ wages.

This being settled, Little and Bayne went to the “Cutlers’ Arms,” and Bayne addressed the barmaid thus, “Can we see Mary Anne?”

“He is shaving.”

“Well, when she is shaved, we shall be in the parlor, tell her.”

In a moment or two Grotait bustled in, wiping his face with a towel as he came, and welcomed his visitors cordially.  “Fine weather, gentlemen.”

Bayne cut that short.  “Mr. Grotait, we have lost our bands.”

“You surprise me.”

“And perhaps you can tell us how to get them back.”

“Experience teaches that they always come back when the men pay their arrears.”

“Well, it is agreed to stop the sum due, out of wages.”

“A very proper course.”

“What is it we have got to pay?”

“How can I tell you without book?  Pray, Mr. Little, don’t imagine that I set these matters agate.  All I do is to mediate afterward.  I’ll go and look at the contribution-book.”

He went out, and soon returned, and told them it was one sovereign contribution from each man, and five shillings each for Mary Anne.

“What, for her services in rattening us?” said Little, dryly.

“And her risk,” suggested Grotait, in dulcet tones.

Little paid the five pounds, and then asked Grotait for the bands.

“Good heavens, Mr. Little, do you think I have got your bands?”

“You must excuse Mr. Little, sir,” said Bayne.  “He is a stranger, and doesn’t know the comedy.  Perhaps you will oblige us with a note where we can find them.”