er smiled. This was the most business-like attitude he had seen
his son manifest. He was so keen, so alert for a boy of thirteen.

"Why, Frank," he said, going over to a drawer where some bills were,
"are you going to become a financier already? You're sure you're not
going to lose on this? You know what you're doing, do you?"

"You let me have the money, father, will you?" he pleaded. "I'll show
you in a little bit. Just let me have it. You can trust me."

He was like a young hound on the scent of game. His father could not
resist his appeal.

"Why, certainly, Frank," he replied. "I'll trust you." And he counted
out six five-dollar certificates of the Third National's own issue and
two ones. "There you are."

Frank ran out of the building with a briefly spoken thanks and returned
to the auction room as fast as his legs would carry him. When he came
in, sugar was being auctioned. He made his way to the auctioneer's
clerk.

"I want to pay for that soap," he suggested.

"Now?"

"Yes. Will you give me a receipt?"

"Yep."

"Do you deliver this?"

"No. No delivery. You have to take it away in twenty-four hours."

That difficulty did not trouble him.

"All right," he said, and pocketed his paper testimony of purchase.

The auctioneer watched him as he went out. In half an hour he was back
with a drayman--an idle levee-wharf hanger-on who was waiting for a job.

Frank had bargained with him to deliver the soap for sixty cents. In
still another half-hour he was before the door of the astonished Mr.
Dalrymple whom he had come out and look at the boxes before attempting
to remove them. His plan was to have them carried on to his own home
if the operation for any reason failed to go through. Though it was his
first great venture, he was cool as glass.

"Yes," said Mr. Dalrymple, scratching his gray head reflectively. "Yes,
that's the same soap. I'll take it. I'll be as good as my word. Where'd
you get it, Frank?"

"At Bixom's auction up here," he replied, frankly and blandly.

Mr. Dalrymple had the drayman bring in the soap; and after some
formality--because the agent in this case was a boy--made out his note
at thirty days and gave it to him.

Frank thanked him and pocketed the note. He decided to go back to his
father's bank and discount it, as he had seen others doing, thereby
paying his father back and getting his own profit in ready money. It
couldn't be done ordinarily on any day after business hours;