"Don't you think Doubleday had better--"

"I prefer you should do it, please," said Hawkesbury, decisively,
bustling off to another desk at the same moment, and so cutting short
further parley.

So I had nothing for it but to take up the cash-box, and, after making
sure it contained exactly the L3 he had mentioned, transfer it to my own
desk.

When I told Doubleday that afternoon what had happened he waxed very
facetious on the head of it. He was undoubtedly a little hurt that I
should be selected for the charge instead of him. But we were too good
friends to misunderstand one another in the matter.

"I expect he's left it with you because you're a young hand, and he
thinks you're sure to make a mess of it. That would just suit him."

"I'll do my best to deprive him of the luxury of putting me right," said
I.

"If you do get up a tree," said Doubleday, "I'm your man. But I hope
you won't, for I don't want to have anything to do with it."

After all it was not such very alarming work. A few people dropped in
during the day and paid small amounts in cash, which I received, and
carefully entered on my sheet. And a few demands came from various
quarters for small disbursements in the way of postage-stamps,
telegrams, cab fares, and the like, all which I also carefully entered
on the other side of my account.

Before I left in the evening I balanced the two sides, and found the
cash in my box tallying exactly with the amount that appeared on my
sheet. Whereat I rejoiced exceedingly, and, locking-up my desk, thought
the keeping of the petty-cash was ridiculously simple work.

That evening when I reached the lodgings I found Jack had arrived before
me. I was eager to hear of his success or otherwise at the examination,
and he was prepared to gratify my curiosity.

He had got on well, he thought. The _viva-voce_ portion, which he had
dreaded most, had been easy, or, at any rate, the questions which fell-
to him had been such as he could readily answer. As for the written
part, all he could say was that he had replied to all the questions, and
he believed correctly, although time prevented him from doing one or two
as full justice as they deserved. In fact, after talking it over, we
both came to the conclusion that the day's effort had been a success,
and if to-morrow turned out as well, all doubt as to the result might be
dispensed with.

Then I told him of my adventures, which did not seem altogether to