round?"

"Well, I allow a dollar a day to experienced agents for expenses. But a
green hand would have to pay his own way. I have to protect myself in that
way, or otherwise some loafers would just start out to get the dollar,
without doing anything for it."

"I suppose that is so," returned Ralph, thoughtfully. "I will think over
the matter, and perhaps I'll come back later on."

"All right. I can lend you an outfit, on security, so if you do not make a
go of the business you will not be out of pocket a great deal."

"Thank you," returned the boy.

It was now half-past four, and the list of factories was about exhausted.
Three more stores remained. Ralph visited them in quick succession, only to
receive the old answer--no new help wanted.

"I'll go back to Mr. Dunham's, and tell him I'll go to work distributing
those circulars in the morning," said Ralph to himself. "And after that job
is done, if nothing more definite turns up, I'll try peddling those goods
to the small stationery and general stores."

He hurried back to the store where sporting goods were sold. As he entered
he saw Dock Brady at the back counter.

Brady was busy buying some powder, and did not at first see him. But on
turning he nodded pleasantly.

"I wonder what he wants with powder?" thought Ralph. "I did not know
surveyors used it."

But then it crossed his mind that perhaps the man used it for firearms when
surveying in wild parts of the country, and he did not give the matter a
second thought. He waited until Dock Brady had paid for his purchase and
left, and then told the storekeeper of his decision.

"All right, Nelson," said Mr. Dunham. "You can go to work at seven o'clock
to-morrow morning. Let me see, you live in Westville, don't you?"

"Yes, sir."

"Some of the circulars are to go there, and also back to Hopeville.
Supposing you take them with you now, and start out distributing them from
your home, instead of coming here? It will save time."

To this Ralph readily agreed, and, after some few instructions concerning
the work to be done, quitted the store with a big package of the circulars
under his arm.

Although he had struck no regular employment, he was not as disappointed as
he might have been. There was a week's work to do, and then the peddling to
try, and that was something.

"I knew it would be difficult to obtain an opening," said Mrs. Nelson, on
hearing his story. "Times are hard, and you can be thankful that