“Yes.  The Strattons are very nice people, They’re interested in the Labour movement, and I said I’d bring you round when I go to-night.  I generally go on Saturday nights.  They’re not early birds, and we don’t want to get there till half-past ten or so.”

“Half-past ten!  That’s queer time.”

“Yes, isn’t it?  Only——­”

At that moment a waitress who had been arranging the next table came and took her place against the wall close behind Nellie.  Such an opportunity to talk unionism was not to be lost, so Nellie unceremoniously dropped her conversation with Ned and enquired, as before stated, into the becapped girl’s hours.  The waitress was tall and well-featured, but sallow of skin and growing haggard, though barely 20, if that.  Below her eyes were bluish hollows.  She suffered plainly from the disorders caused by constant standing and carrying, and at this end of her long week was in evident pain.

* * * * *

“You’re not allowed to talk either?” she asked the waitress, when the manager had disappeared.

“No.  They’re very strict.  You get fined if you’re seen chatting to customers and if you’re caught resting.  And you get fined if you break anything, too.  One girl was fined six shillings last week.”

“Why do you stand it?  If you were up in our part of the world we’d soon bring ’em down a notch or two.”  This from Ned.

“Out in the bush it may be different,” said the girl, identifying his part of the world by his dress and sunburnt face.  “But in towns you’ve got to stand it.”

“Couldn’t you girls form a union?” asked Nellie.

“What’s the use, there’s plenty to take our places.”

“But if you were all in a union there wouldn’t be enough.”

“Oh, we can’t trust a lot of girls.  Those who live at home and just work to dress themselves are the worst of the lot.  They’d work for ten shillings or five.”

“But they’d be ashamed to blackleg if once they were got into the union,” persisted Nellie.  “It’s worth trying, to get a rise in wages and to stop fining and have shorter hours and seats while you’re waiting.”

“Yes, it’s worth trying if there was any chance.  But there are so many girls.  You’re lucky if you get work at all now and just have to put up with anything.  If we all struck they could get others to-morrow.”

“But not waitresses.  How’d they look here, trying to serve dinner with a lot of green hands?” argued Nellie.  “Besides, if you had a union, you could get a lot without striking at all.  They know now you can’t strike, so they do just exactly as they like.”

“They’d do what they——­” began the waitress.  Then she broke off with another “s-s-s” as the manager crossed the room again.