ng," grumbled one of those who were
waiting. "I don't want to lose the chance of another job if I can't get
this."

"You need not wait at all if you don't care to," said the clerk.

Two others came in, and the outer office was comfortably filled, when a
stout gentleman walked in quickly, and gave a glance around.

"Hum!" said he, when his eyes fell upon Nat, and he looked at our hero
more closely. Nat at once recognized the newcomer as the gentleman he
had met on the Brooklyn Bridge.

"How are you, young man," said the gentleman.

"Very well, sir," answered Nat.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to see about the position that was advertised."

"Ah, indeed!" The gentleman gave Nat another look. "Come inside."

"Yes, sir," and our hero quickly followed him to an inner office. Here
the gentleman hung up his hat, and sank down in an easy chair at a desk.
"Take a seat. I suppose you remember meeting me?" This was said with a
little smile.

"Oh, yes, sir; on the bridge."

"You did me a good turn, and I've not forgotten it. So you want a job,
eh? What's your name, and where are you from?"

Nat told him, and also told the gentleman some of his experiences since
arriving in the metropolis. John Garwell listened with interest.

"I fancy I can give you an opening," said he. "Here, write a few lines
on this sheet of paper." Nat did so. "A very good hand. How much do you
want to start on?"

"Enough to support myself, Mr. Garwell."

"That's a fair answer. Can you live on seven dollars a week?"

"I can live on less than that."

"Some young men want a fortune to start on. Yesterday a young man called
here for an opening. He had had no experience, yet he wanted not less
than twenty dollars a week."

"I guess you didn't engage him," said Nat, with a smile.

"I did not. Well, I'll give you a trial, at seven dollars a week. If you
prove satisfactory I'll give you eight dollars at the end of three
months, and ten dollars at the end of the first year."

"Thank you, very much."

"You can go to work at once." Mr. Garwell touched a push-button on his
desk, and a clerk appeared. "Wilson, this is the new clerk, Nat Nason.
You can show him his duties. And tell those others that are waiting that
the position is filled."

"Yes, sir."

"Wait a minute, Nason. Wilson, you can go."

The clerk disappeared, closing the door behind him.

"I just wished to say a word about what you did for me the other day."

"Oh, that's