In these circumstances a warm feeling of gratitude towards the family closed his eyes to their obvious shortcomings.
He even obtained work down at the harbour through a friend of Mr.
Kybird's.

It was not of a very exalted nature, and caused more strain upon the back than the intellect, but seven years of roughing it had left him singularly free from caste prejudices, a freedom which he soon discovered was not shared by his old acquaintances at Sunwich.

The discovery made him somewhat bitter, and when Hardy stopped him one afternoon as he was on his way home from work he tried to ignore his outstretched hand and continued on his way.
[Illustration: "He even obtained work down at the harbor."] "It is a long time since we met," said Hardy, placing himself in front of him.
"Good heavens," said Jack, regarding him closely, "it's Jemmy Hardy-- grown up spick and span like the industrious little boys in the school-books.

I heard you were back here." "I came back just before you did," said Hardy.

"Brass band playing you in and all that sort of thing, I suppose," said the other.