honest a piece of work as I've ever run a rule over. So, being born
hereabouts, and being reckoned a master among masons, and
accepted as a master mason, I made bold to pay my brotherly
respects to the builder.'

'Aa - um!' Mr Springett looked important. 'I be a bit rusty, but
I'll try ye!'

He asked Hal several curious questions, and the answers must
have pleased him, for he invited Hal to sit down. Hal moved up,
always keeping behind the pile of planks so that only his head
showed, and sat down on a trestle in the dark corner at the back of
Mr Springett's desk. He took no notice of Dan, but talked at once
to Mr Springett about bricks, and cement, and lead and glass, and
after a while Dan went on with his work. He knew Mr Springett
was pleased, because he tugged his white sandy beard, and
smoked his pipe in short puffs. The two men seemed to agree
about everything, but when grown-ups agree they interrupt each
other almost as much as if they were quarrelling. Hal said
something about workmen.

'Why, that's what I always say,' Mr Springett cried. 'A man
who can only do one thing, he's but next-above-fool to the man
that can't do nothin'. That's where the Unions make their mistake.'

'My thought to the very dot.' Dan heard Hal slap his tight-
hosed leg. 'I've suffered 'in my time from these same Guilds -
Unions, d'you call 'em? All their precious talk of the mysteries of
their trades - why, what does it come to?'