mendations? Not that they are strictly
necessary from one who looks so honest."

"I can refer you to the firm I worked for."

"That will be satisfactory, although I don't mind telling you that I am
very particular in the selection of my clerks. So far I have rejected
seventeen who applied."

"I should try my best to do what was right," answered Nat, modestly.

"That is the way I like to hear a person talk."

"Then you will take me?"

"We haven't agreed on terms yet. What do you expect in the way of
salary?"

"I guess I'll leave that to you," answered Nat, after some hesitation.

"What did you get at your last place?"

"Seven dollars a week."

"Humph! Your employer was not very liberal. A clerk that is worth
anything to me is worth ten dollars a week at least."

The mentioning of ten dollars made Nat's heart jump.

"If you'll pay me ten dollars a week, Mr. Dart, I'll do my level best to
earn it."

"Do you write a fair hand?"

"Here is my handwriting," answered the boy, and wrote his name on a
piece of paper.

"That is quite good--for a boy. I think you will improve by practice.
Here you will have quite some writing to do, and bills to sort out. But
the work will not be difficult, for the summer is our dull season."

"I see."

"By the way, I suppose you know I require a deposit of one hundred
dollars from each of my clerks," went on Hamilton Dart, with assumed
carelessness. "Sometimes my clerks have quite some money to handle for
me."

"I can make that deposit," answered Nat. "Will I get a receipt for it?"

"To be sure, and I will also pay you six per cent. interest on the
money. You can have it back whenever you leave my service. When can you
make the deposit?"

"Right now, if you say so."

"Very well; I'll make out the receipt."

Hamilton Dart wrote out a receipt for a hundred dollars, and signed his
name with a flourish. He passed it to Nat, and the boy handed him the
hundred-dollar bill.

"You don't believe in carrying small bills," said the man, with an
assumed smile.

"That is the only big bill I ever owned," was the answer.

Hamilton Dart pocketed the bill, and looked out of the window as if in
deep thought.

"I was thinking you might go to work to-day, but perhaps it will be as
well to go to work to-morrow," he said, after a pause. "Come at nine
o'clock sharp."

"I will, sir."

"Then that is all for the present. I am sure we will get along very well
together. To-morrow anoth