used to have to go and pull him out of bed
whenever we went fishing last year," remarked Dick, nodding
significantly.

"That was just the trouble--it took Charles too long to get started. He
may find more congenial employment in some other line; but he would
never do for the financial business. But I spoke of a curious
coincidence. You are doubtless wondering what I mean by that. Someone
else recommended that I give you a trial. Can you guess who it was?"

The reddening face of the boy announced that he at least had a
suspicion.

"That was only such a small thing to do, Mr. Gibbs. Any fellow could
pull a poor little kitten out of the water. It wasn't really deep enough
to drown me, anyhow; and I guess it would take more than that to do the
business, for I'm a duck in the water, sir."

"All right, but I've known many boys who would take a fiendish delight
in seeing a kitten drown," retorted the gentleman.

"But--that was Bessie's kitten!" said Dick, hastily.

"Oh! yes, so I see. Well, at any rate you did a good thing all around,
Richard, pleased my wife and daughter, and opened the way to a situation
for yourself in the bank here. Mr. Cartwright tells me you have always
wanted to be connected with an establishment of this kind, and he says
that you are unusually quick and accurate with figures--in fact, he
calls you a wonder in that line; but all our employees would seem such
to him, doubtless. Can you go to work to-day, Richard? We let Charles
off yesterday, and while the porter is doing some of his usual work
there are many errands that should be attended to."

"I am ready to commence right now, sir," responded Dick, getting up with
his usual alacrity.

"Good. I like to hear a lad talk that way. But by the way, you have not
asked anything about wages."

"I'm willing to leave that entirely to you, sir. I am sure you will pay
me all I am worth to the bank," said Dick, simply.

He could not have made a more diplomatic reply had he been a schemer
instead of a frank single-minded lad.

"Good again. I begin to think that it was a fine thing for all of us
that Charles overslept so frightfully yesterday. We paid him eight
dollars a week to begin with, Richard."

"Yes, sir. I shall be very glad to receive that, if you consider that I
can fill the bill."

"But, for the last two months we have been paying Charles ten. Now, I am
of the opinion that you are going to be even more valuable in the start
than he was a