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After all, gaffers had certain powers of advancement, and could increase wages to those who found favor in their eyes, to the extent of a penny or twopence per day, and justified it by representing that these girls were value for it, because they were better workers.
And all the babbling of their chiding and crowing and laughter comes across the babbling of the brook to the ears of the old gaffers gossiping on the wall. Gaffer I. spits out an over-munched stalk of meadow soft-grass, and speaks: "D'ye see yon chap?" But he beats me. And see there! he's t'first that's beat me yet. Why, lad!
A clap on the shoulder, a smile, or even a word would do it. The one hauf o' the men can ay be got to sell the ither. Ye daurna' cheep, man, but I hear of it." "Damn'd fine I ken that," replied Geordie, "an' it's mair the peety. But that's no' to say that men'll ay be like that. If they'd be true an' stick to yin anither, they'd damn'd soon put an end to sic gaffers as you."
Again, matters were always easier to these girls of easy virtue, for they got better jobs, and could even flout the authority of lesser gaffers, if their relations with the higher ones were as indicated. Mag replied with a coarse jest, and the others laughed roughly, and Mysie and Robert, not understanding, wondered why the old man got angry.
For other people, they would urge the reasonable question, how else came Roger by the cash? and getting no answer, or worse than none a prevaricating, mystifying mere put-off they had hardly an alternative in common exercise of judgment: therefore, "Shame on her," said the neighbours, "and the bitterest shame on him:" and the gaffers and grand-dames shook their heads virtuously.
Five minutes' run brought them to the place where the masons were at work walling up the entrance to some old workings. They looked astonished at the new-comers. "Have you seen the gaffers?" "Ay, they ha' just gone on. There, don't you see their lights down the heading? No; well I saw 'em a moment since." "Come along," Jack said. "Quick! I expect they've met it." At full speed they hurried along.
To some it meant more. To the bank clerk it meant the sack; to the cashier who was twenty pounds short in his cash, an examination of his books and discovery; to the spieler who was wanted by the police, scrutiny by a hundred pair of official eyes. The gaffers ran here and there bewildered, cursing and swearing in an impotence of rage.
The latter remark went off with a loud guffaw and many a ribald joke. Mole, despite his great height, succeeded in getting through unperceived. He was of no account, and he knew his way inside the house. It was full of people: journalists, gaffers, women and men the usual crowd that come to gape. The citizen Marat was a great personage. The Friend of the People.
This was an allusion to clandestine meetings which were sometimes arranged between some of the men in authority "penny gaffers," as they were called and some of the girls who took their fancy.
"Got the sack again, I suppose," said Sanny. "Weel, he maun learn, Peter, that gaffers are no' gaun to put up wi' his nonsense. If a man will no' do what he's telt, he maun just take the consequences." "Ay," said Peter, very dryly, and as Peter knew his man, no more was said.
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