human
Where's your boss this morning? Mappin inquired.
gpt
I've been waiting for him.
human
At Graham's, said Carnally, sitting down.
gpt
I've come instead. Mr. Allinson's got into a habit of leaving matters to me. There are things I do better than he can. I'm not so fastidious as he is.
human
Then let me know what you want.
gpt
It's about those provisions you sent up. Mr. Allinson told you where to make the caches?
human
Yes; I carefully put it down.
gpt
Got the paper or the notebook?
human
I can't say where the notebook is, but I believe I could find it.
gpt
If you produce the book, it will be because it doesn't agree with what Mr. Allinson says he told you; but that wouldn't prove much. You're capable of writing down what you meant to do and not what he said. If you're not able to find it, the reason is that you thought of the trick you played us after you saw him.
human
Then you didn't find the provisions I sent as easily as you expected?
gpt
No; you know we didn't.
human
Well, what about it?
gpt
I know the hand you're playing from; it's a pretty good one. Mr. Allinson believes he gave you orders to make the caches in certain places; you contend he told you somewhere else, and there was nobody about when you were talking to decide the thing. Somehow an unfortunate mistake was made.
human
It looks like that,
gpt
Sure thing! Carnally cheerfully assented.
human
You fixed it all so neatly that you left only one way of getting after you; but I won't grumble, because it's the one I like. He rose and his expression changed.
gpt
The mistake you meant to make came mighty near starving three men to death. Stand up and answer for it, you blasted hog!
human
So that's your line?