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you know that. And I promised you, you can move from where you are now or stay there if you like. But as I said, I promised you you would have a house in Birtley if you wanted, or Chester-le-Street, or perhaps in Gateshead.''Eeh! miss, miss, you're so kind.
    You're like your dad used to be. There wasn't a
    4849better man living than your dad to work for. An' when he went I thought he couldn't be bettered, but you've lived up to his name, miss. You could have been his son in lots of ways. No falderals about you.' He was wagging his finger. 'No disrespect I mean, miss, no disrespect, because there's not a finer figure on a horse than you are. Oh, I've said that all along, I have. I have.'She smiled as she thought, Yes, you have; but you were the first to nearly drop down with shock when I rode in in breeches. But then she thought, I've got to be very diplomatic in my next move. And so she began. 'I know we'll never get anyone to manage this place like you, George. I'm well aware of that. But I would like your advice on something. Now as you know, there's a different kind of man coming into management. Not that I hold with all their ideas; but nevertheless, times are changing and there they are. A lot of them are called smart alecs. You've said that yourself, and I agree with you. Now, George, you tell me how I'm going to get someone to even try to fill your place, except one of these smart alecs, and he'll likely have no idea of this trade at all. Oh,he'll be all right on the money side, I mean with regard to doing a lot of chat when trying to get orders, you know what I mean. They all are.''Yes. Yes, indeed, miss. I know what you mean.' His bottom lip was thrust out now. 'And smart alecs is the right name for them.''Well, what are we to do?''Well, miss, now I'm a straight man and I'm going to put it straight to you: I'd feel very bad indeed if you stepped out of this factory to find someone to take my place when there's young fellas here who could take over the morrow. There's Johnnie meInnis, foreman over stores an' transport. He's been here a long time, longer than Joe Skinner, and he's older. But, to my mind Joe's got more on top, if you follow me, miss, and he's out to learn, night-school classes an' that. I know he's young, but he's worked with black lead an' blackin' even afore it was ever thought of being used to shine a boot or shoe. But it's up to you, miss, it's up to you.'She made her eyebrows rise as if in surprise, and she said, 'Joe? Well, he is young.'
    'Excuse me interrupting you, miss, he's
    50only young in age, I mean, being twentythree, but he's got an old head on his shoulders and, you know, he knows this business from A to Z. You'll never do better, I wouldn't rest in me bed, no I wouldn't, an' I'd keep on in this job until I dropped at that desk rather than see it go to upstarts like that King fella. Why on earth, miss ... excuse me for saying so, but why on earth, miss, you put him in there, I'll never know.''Well, I'm sorry, George, but it was either him or no one. We had numbers after the post but no one was experienced enough. And it appears that he had been working in . . .''Yes, I know, I know'-he interrupted her again-'in Hull, for Reckitts. Yes, I know, I know all about that, and his big ideas. Anyway, least said about him the better, for it gets me monkey up just to think about him. So what d'you say, miss, it's either Johnnie or Joe? As I said, it's up to you, but if you want my opinion, you'd side on Joe. Aye, you would.''Well, if you say so, George. If you say so.''I do say so, miss, I do. An' I've said it to meself; not only to meself, I've said it to the51Missis time and again, the one who should step into me shoes should be young Joe. It'll be a big jump for him mind, because he's only been in the business full-time for nineyears.'Yes, she knew he had been in the business full-time for only nine years. She remembered the day she first saw him. She was on holiday from school and her father