Orders became mere suggestions to be
entertained and carried out if approved of by Cheon, or dismissed as
"silly-fellow" with a Podsnapian wave of his arm if they in no way
appealed to him.
Full of wrath for Sam's ways, and bubbling over with trundling energy, he
calmly appropriated the whole staff, as well as Jimmy, Billy Muck, and
the rejected, and within a week had put backbone into everything that
lacked it, from the water-butts to old Jimmy.
The first two days were spent in a whirlwind of dust and rubbish, turned
out from unguessed-at recesses, and Cheon's jovial humour suiting his
helpers to a nicety, the rubbish was dealt with amid shouts of delight
and enjoyment; until Jimmy, losing his head in his lightness of heart,
dug Cheon in the ribs, and, waving a stick over his head, yelled in mock
fierceness: "Me wild-fellow, black fellow. Me myall-fellow."
Then Cheon came out in a new role. Without a moment's hesitation his arms
and legs appeared to fly out all together in Jimmy's direction,
completely doubling him up.
"Me myall-fellow, too," Cheon said calmly, master of himself and the
situation. Then, chuckling at Jimmy's discomfiture, he went on with his
work, while his helpers stared open-eyed with amazement; an infuriated
Chinese catherine-wheel being something new in the experience of a black
fellow.
