“Well then, sir, I will do both.”

“Stop!” said Mr. Carden, who could now afford to be candid.  “First of all, you ought to satisfy yourself of the flourishing condition of the company.”  He handed him a prospectus.  “This will show you our capital, and our disbursements last year, and the balance of profit declared.  And this gives the balance sheet of the ‘Vulture’ and the ‘Falcon,’ which have assigned their business to us, and are now incorporated in the ‘Gosshawk.’”

“Oh, what a voracious bird!” observed Grace.  “I hope these other chickabiddies will not prove indigestible.  Were they plucked first, papa? or did the ‘Gosshawk’ swallow them feathers and all?”

Little laughed heartily at this pert sally, but Mr. Carden winced under it.

Then Grace saw she was not quite weaponless, and added, “After such a meal, as that, Mr. Little, you will go down like a crumb.”

“Grace, that is enough,” said Mr. Carden, rather severely.

Grace held her tongue directly, and the water came into her eyes.  Anything like serious remonstrance was a novelty to her.

When Henry had read the papers, Mr. Carden asked him, rather carelessly, what sum he wished to be insured for.

Now Henry had so little wish about the matter, that he had not given it a thought, and the question took him quite aback.  He looked helplessly at Jael.  To his surprise, she decided on the sum for him, without a moment’s hesitation, and conveyed the figure with that dexterity which the simplest of her sex can command whenever telegraphy is wanted.  She did it with two unbroken movements; she put up all the fingers of her right hand to her brow, and that meant five:  then she turned her hand rapidly, so as to hide her mouth from the others, who were both on her right hand, and she made the word thousand clear, with her lips and tongue, especially the “th.”

But the sum staggered Henry; and made him think he must be misinterpreting her.

He hesitated, to gain time.  “Hum!” said he, “the sum?”

Jael repeated her pantomime as before.

Still Henry doubted, and, to feel his way, said, half interrogatively,
“Five—­thou—­sand?”

Jael nodded.

“Five thousand pounds,” said Henry, as bold as brass.

“Five thousand pounds!” cried Mr. Carden.  “A workman insure his life for five thousand pounds!”

“Well, a man’s life is worth five thousand pounds, or it is worth nothing.  And, sir, how long do you think I shall be a workman, especially in Hillsborough, where from workman to master is no more than hopping across a gutter?”

Mr. Carden smiled approval.  “But five thousand pounds!  The annual premium will be considerable.  May I ask about how much you make a year?”

“Oh, papa!”

“Well, sir, Mr. Cheetham pays me L300 a year, at the rate of, and I can make another L100 by carving at odd times.  But, if you doubt my ability, let us stay as we are, sir.  It was your proposal, not mine, you know.”