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The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists gable yet, wot we oughter 'ave started on first thing this morning.'

'Well, the only thing as I can see for it.' he continued, 'is that the boy will 'ave to go down to the yard and get the long rope. It won't do for anyone else to go; there's been row enough already.'

Bert was called and given the necessary instructions, chief of which was to get back again as soon as ever he could. The boy ran off, and while they were waiting, Philpot returned to the small gable he had been painting before breakfast, which he had not quite finished. As he worked, a sudden and unaccountable terror took possession of him. He did not want to do that high gable—he felt too ill; and he almost resolved that he would ask Crass if he would mind letting him do something else. There were several younger men who would find the job mere child's play.

But then he remembered what the probable consequences would be, and tried to persuade himself that he would be able to get through it all right. It would not do to let Crass or Hunter mark him as being too old for ladder work.

Bert came back in about half an hour flushed and sweating with the weight of the rope and the speed he had made. He delivered it to Crass who passed the word for Philpot and the others to come and raise the ladder. He handed the rope to Ned Dawson, who took it up to the attic, accompanied by Sawkins. Arrived there, they lowered one end out of the window down to the others.

'If you ask me,' said Ned Dawson, who was critically examining the strands of the rope as he passed it out through the open window; 'if you ask me, I don't see as this 'ere rope is much good. Look 'ere'; he indicated a part which was very frayed and worn; 'and 'ere's another place just as bad.'

'Well, for Christ's sake don't say nothing about it now,' replied Sawkins; 'there's been enough talk and waste of time over this job already.'

Ned made no answer, and the end having by this time reached the ground, Bundy made it fast to the ladder, about six rungs from the top.

The ladder was lying on the ground, parallel to the side of the house. The task of raising it would have been much easier if they had been able to lay it at right angles to the house wall, but this was impossible because of the premises next 346