"Why can't you let a poor fellow be ?" "Be! What for ?" shouted Bigley to my astonishment, for I could not have believed him guilty of such brutality.

"Yes, I'll let you be.

I'll make you work, that's what I'll do.

I wish I'd a rope's end here." "It's too bad, it's too cruel, Big," I cried passionately.

"How can you behave so brutally to the poor fellow!" "Here, you stick to your own work," cried Bigley fiercely.