e
than five shillings; and, though I succeeded in paying my own boat-fares,
my companion insisted upon settling himself for the refreshments we had:
a cup of tea in the afternoon, and a sort of high tea or supper before
leaving. I had not begun to tire of watching people, and was innocent
enough to derive keen satisfaction from the thought that I, too, was one
of these city folk, business people, office men, who gave their Saturday
leisure to the quest of ocean breezes and recreation in this well-known
resort.

Yes, from this distance, it is a little hard to realise perhaps, but
it is a fact that at this particular time I was genuinely proud of
being a clerk in an office, in place of being a handy lad, and one of
the manual workers. It was my lot in later years to dictate
considerable correspondence to young men who practised shorthand and
typewriting--they called themselves secretaries, not correspondence
clerks--and I always felt an interest in their characters and affairs,
and endeavoured to show them every consideration. But I cannot say
that those who served me in this capacity ever played just the sort of
part I played as a correspondence clerk in Sussex Street. But they
always interested me, none the less, and I showed them special
consideration; no doubt because I remembered a period when I took much
secret pride and satisfaction in having obtained entrance to their
ranks, from what in all countries which I have visited is accounted a
lowlier walk of life. And yet, as I see it now, I must confess that I
am inclined to think the handy lad in the open air has rather the best
of it. I admit this is open to question, however. Fortunately there
are compensations in both cases.

'For a young fellow you do a lot of thinking,' said Mr. Smith to me as
we walked slowly down to the ferry stage in leaving Manly. Of course I
indulged in one of my idiotic blushes.

'No; oh no,' I told him. 'I was only watching the people.'

'Well, there's nothing to be ashamed of in thinking,' he justly said.
'If most of the youngsters in Sydney did a deal more of it, it would
be a lot better for them.'

'Ah, you mean thinking about their work.' I knew instinctively, and
because of remarks he had made, that my elderly room-mate thought well
of me as being a very practical lad, seriously determined to get on in
the world. And so, also instinctively, I played up, as they say, to
this view of my character, and I dare say overdid it at time