He had worked for them once or twice himself.
'The foreman was in here today,' the shopkeeper went on.

'He said they're going to make a start Monday morning if it's fine.' 'Well, I hope it will be,' said Owen, 'because things are very quiet just now.' Wishing the other 'Good nigh', Owen again proceeded homewards.
Half-way down the street he paused irresolutely: he was thinking of the news he had just heard and of Jack Linden.
As soon as it became generally known that this work was about to be started there was sure to be a rush for it, and it would be a case of first come, first served.

If he saw Jack tonight the old man might be in time to secure a job.
Owen hesitated: he was wet through: it was a long way to Linden's place, nearly twenty minutes' walk.

Still, he would like to let him know, because unless he was one of the first to apply, Linden would not stand such a good chance as a younger man.

Owen said to himself that if he walked very fast there was not much risk of catching cold.
Standing about in wet clothes might be dangerous, but so long as one kept moving it was all right.
He turned back and set off in the direction of Linden's house: although he was but a few yards from his own home, he decided not to go in because his wife would be sure to try to persuade him not to go out again.
As he hurried along he presently noticed a small dark object on the doorstep of an untenanted house.