"Yes," said he. "But, Fred, promise me one thing."

"What?" said I, hurriedly.

"Not to show off badly because I'm after the place too."

Old Jack! He gave me credit, I fear, for a good deal more nobleness
than I had a right to claim.

"All serene," said I, "if you'll promise the same."

"Yes," said he. "Mind, honour bright, Fred."

And so we parted, he to pace up and down the street for a long quarter
of an hour, and I to present myself before the awful presence of Messrs.
Merrett, Barnacle, and Company.

If all the youths who had flocked with me from the station in the
direction of Hawk Street had been bound (as my fears had suggested), for
this place, they would have found themselves rather cramped for room by
the time they were all assembled; for the first-floor offices which I
entered were decidedly limited in their capacity. I, who had been
expecting at least a place capable of holding several scores of clerks,
was somewhat taken aback to find myself in a counting-house which
accommodated only half a score, and even that at rather close quarters.
In fact, I was so much taken aback that, although I had seen the name
plainly inscribed on the door, I was constrained to inquire on entering,
"Is this Messrs. Merrett, Barnacle, and Company's office, please?"

"Yes," said one of the clerks, shortly, "what about it?"

"Oh, if you please," I began, "I've come to--that is I've--"

"Come, out with it, can't you?" said the clerk.

"It's the situation," said I, feeling very uncomfortable.

"Well, what about it?" said the clerk, who, evidently cheered by the
smiles of his fellow-clerks, thought it a good joke to browbeat a poor
green country boy.

"Only I've come after it," faltered I.

"Have you, though? And who told you to do that, I'd like to know?"

"My uncle--that is I had a letter--" but here a general laugh
interrupted my confession, and I felt very foolish indeed.

"So you've got an uncle, have you? Do you ever lend him your gold
watch?"

This witticism was lost on me. I didn't see the connection between my
uncle borrowing my gold watch (if I had had one), and the situation at
Messrs. Merrett, Barnacle, and Company's. But it would never do to make
myself disagreeable.

"I've not got a gold watch, or a silver one either," I said.

This seemed to occasion fresh merriment among my catechist and his
fellows.

"Why don't you say who told you to come?" demanded the clerk.

"I did say," mi