ry much at
first."

"Of course not; green, you know. What do you say to a dollar a week?"

"A dollar a week!" exclaimed Paul, in dismay, "I hoped to get enough to
pay for my board."

"Nonsense. There are plenty of boys glad enough to come for a dollar a
week. At first, you know. But I'll stretch a point with you, and offer
you a dollar and a quarter. What do you say?"

"How soon could I expect to have my wages advanced?" inquired our hero,
with considerable anxiety.

"Well," said Smith, "at the end of a month or two."

"I'll go home and speak to my uncle about it," said Paul, feeling
undecided.

"Can't keep the place open for you. Ah, there's another boy at the
door."

"I'll accept," said Paul, jumping to a decision. He had applied in so
many different quarters without success, that he could not make up his
mind to throw away this chance, poor as it seemed.

"When shall I come?"

"Come to-morrow."

"At what time, sir?"

"At seven o'clock."

This seemed rather early. However, Paul was prepared to expect some
discomforts, and signified that he would come.

As he turned to go away, another boy passed him, probably bent on the
same errand with himself.

Paul hardly knew whether to feel glad or sorry. He had expected at least
three dollars a week, and the descent to a dollar and a quarter was
rather disheartening. Still, he was encouraged by the promise of a rise
at the end of a month or two,--so on the whole he went home cheerful.

"Well, Paul, what luck to-day?" asked Mr. Cameron, who had just got home
as Paul entered.

"I've got a place, Uncle Hugh."

"You have,--where?"

"With Smith & Thompson, No.--Broadway."

"What sort of a store? I don't remember the name."

"It is a retail dry-goods store."

"Did you like the looks of your future employer?"

"I don't know," said Paul, hesitating, "He looked as if he might be a
pretty sharp man in business, but I have seen others that I would rather
work for. However, beggars mustn't be choosers. But there was one thing
I was disappointed about."

"What was that, Paul?"

"About the wages."

"How much will they give you?"

"Only a dollar and a quarter a week, at first."

"That is small, to be sure."

"The most I think of, Uncle Hugh, is, that I shall still be an expense
to you. I hoped to get enough to be able to pay my board from the
first."

"My dear boy," said the sexton, kindly, "don't trouble yourself on that
score. It costs little more