"
"But that will spoil my chances for work," I urged. "And work is the
most important thing for me just now."
As he was only a private, he referred me to the adjutant, and to the
adjutant I repeated my reasons for wishing to go, and politely requested
that he let me go.
"But it cawn't be done," he said, waxing virtuously indignant at such
ingratitude. "The idea!" he snorted. "The idea!"
"Do you mean to say that I can't get out of here?" I demanded. "That you
will keep me here against my will?"
"Yes," he snorted.
I do not know what might have happened, for I was waxing indignant
myself; but the "congregation" had "piped" the situation, and he drew me
over to a corner of the room, and then into another room. Here he again
demanded my reasons for wishing to go.
"I want to go," I said, "because I wish to look for work over in Stepney,
and every hour lessens my chance of finding work. It is now twenty-five
minutes to twelve. I did not think when I came in that it would take so
long to get a breakfast."
"You 'ave business, eh?" he sneered. "A man of business you are, eh?
Then wot did you come 'ere for?"
"I was out all night, and I needed a breakfast in order to strengthen me
to find work.
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