already working at the reduced rate.

Newman was taken by surprise and hesitated. He had never worked under
price; indeed, he had sometimes gone hungry rather than do so; but now
it seemed that others were doing it. And then he was so awfully hard
up. If he refused this job he was not likely to get another in a
hurry. He thought of his home and his family. Already they owed five
weeks' rent, and last Monday the collector had hinted pretty plainly
that the landlord would not wait much longer. Not only that, but if
he did not get a job how were they to live? This morning he himself
had had no breakfast to speak of, only a cup of tea and some dry
bread. These thoughts crowded upon each other in his mind, but still
he hesitated. Hunter began to move off.
`Well,' he said, `if you like to start you can come here at seven in
the morning.' Then as Newman still hesitated he added impatiently,
`Are you coming or not?'

`Yes, sir,' said Newman.

`All right,' said Hunter, affably. `I'll tell Crass to have a kit
ready for you,'

He nodded in a friendly way to the man, who went off feeling like a
criminal.

As Hunter resumed his march, well pleased with himself, the fifth man,
who had been waiting all this time, came to meet him. As he
approached, Hunter recognized him as one who had started work for
Rushton & Co early in the summer, but who had left suddenly of his own
accord, having taken offence at some bullying remark of Hunter's.