One afternoon Crass sent him with a handcart to a job that Easton, Philpot, Harlow and Owen were just finishing.He got there about half past four and helped the men to load up the things, and afterwards walked alongside the cart with them back to the shop.
On the way they all noticed and remarked to each other that the boy looked tired and pale and that he seemed to limp: but he did not say anything, although be guessed that they were talking about him.They arrived at the shop a little before knocking-off time - about ten minutes past five.Bert helped them to unload, and afterwards, while they were putting their things away and `charging up' the unused materials they had brought back, he pushed the cart over to the shed where it was kept, on the other side of the yard.He did not return to the shop at once and a few minutes later when Harlow came out into the yard to get a bucket of water to wash their hands with, he saw the boy leaning on the side of the cart, crying, and holding one foot off the ground.
Harlow asked him what was the matter, and while he was speaking to him the others came out to see what was up: the boy said he had rheumatism or growing pains or something in his leg, `just here near the knee'.
But he didn't say much, he just cried miserably, and turned his head slowly from side to side, avoiding the looks of the men because he felt ashamed that they should see him cry.
When they saw how ill and miserable he looked, the men all put their hands in their pockets to get some coppers to give to him so that he could ride home on the tram.They gave him fivepence altogether, more than enough to ride all the way; and Crass told him to go at once -there was no need to wait till half past; but before he went Philpot got a small glass bottle out of his tool bag and filled it with oil and turps - two of turps and one of oil - which he gave to Bert to rub into his leg before going to bed: The turps - he explained - was to cure the pain and the oil was to prevent it from hurting the skin.He was to get his mother to rub it in for him if he were too tired to do it himself.Bert promised to observe these directions, and, drying his tears, took his dinner basket and limped off to catch the tram.
It was a few days after this that Hunter met with an accident.He was tearing off on his bicycle to one of the jobs about five minutes to twelve to see if he could catch anyone leaving off for dinner before before the proper time, and while going down a rather steep hill the front brake broke - the rubbers of the rear one were worn out and failed to act - so Misery to save himself from being smashed against the railings of the houses at the bottom of the hill, threw himself off the machine, with the result that his head and face and hands were terribly cut and bruised.He was so badly knocked about that he had to remain at home for nearly three weeks, much to the delight of the men and the annoyance - one might even say the indignation - of Mr Rushton, who did not know enough about the work to make out estimates without assistance.There were several large jobs to be tendered for at the same time, so Rushton sent the specifications round to Hunter's house for him to figure out the prices, and nearly all the time that Misery was at home he was sitting up in bed, swathed in bandages, trying to calculate the probable cost of these jobs.Rushton did not come to see him, but he sent Bert nearly every day, either with some specifications, or some accounts, or something of that sort, or with a note inquiring when Hunter thought he would be able to return to work.
All sorts of rumours became prevalent amongst the men concerning Hunter's condition.He had `broken his spiral column', he had `conjunction of the brain', or he had injured his `innards' and would probably never be able to `do no more slave-drivin''.Crass - who had helped Mr Rushton to `price up' several small jobs - began to think it might not be altogether a bad thing for himself if something were to happen to Hunter, and he began to put on side and to assume airs of authority.He got one of the light-weights to assist him in his work of colourman and made him do all the hard work, while he spent part of his own time visiting the different jobs to see how the work progressed.
Crass's appearance did him justice.He was wearing a pair of sporting trousers the pattern of which consisted of large black and white squares.The previous owner of these trousers was taller and slighter than Crass, so although the legs were about a couple of inches too long, they fitted him rather tightly, so much so that it was fortunate that he had his present job of colourman, for if he had had to do any climbing up and down ladders or steps, the trousers would have burst.
His jacket was also two or three sizes too small, and the sleeves were so short that the cuffs of his flanelette shirt were visible.This coat was made of serge, and its colour had presumably once been blue, but it was now a sort of heliotrope and violet: the greater part being of the former tint, and the parts under the sleeves of the latter.
This jacket fitted very tightly across the shoulders and back and being much too short left his tightly clad posteriors exposed to view.
He however seemed quite unconscious of anything peculiar in his appearance and was so bumptious and offensive that most of the men were almost glad when Nimrod came back.They said that if Crass ever got the job he would be a dam' sight worse than Hunter.As for the latter, for a little while after his return to work it was said that his illness had improved his character: he had had time to think things over; and in short, he was ever so much better than before: but it was not long before this story began to be told the other way round.He was worse than ever! and a thing that happened about a fortnight after his return caused more ill feeling and resentment against him and Rushton than had ever existed previously.What led up to it was something that was done by Bundy's mate, Ted Dawson.
