in a factory to serving in a shop.
After the first week he answered many advertisements, but in no case
received a reply. In one case, in which it was stated that a lad who
could write a good fast hand was required in an office, wages to begin
with eight shillings a week, he called two days after writing. It was
a small office with a solitary clerk sitting in it. The latter, upon
learning Frank's business, replied with some exasperation that his mind
was being worried out by boys.

"We have had four hundred and thirty letters," he said; "and I should
think that a hundred boys must have called. We took the first who
applied, and all the other letters were chucked into the fire as soon as
we saw what they were about."

Frank returned to the street greatly disheartened.

"Four hundred and thirty letters!" he said. "Four hundred and thirty
other fellows on the lookout, just as I am, for a place as a boy clerk,
and lots of them, no doubt, with friends and relations to recommend
them! The lookout seems to be a bad one."

Two days later, when Frank was walking along the strand he noticed the
placards in front of a theater.

"Gallery one shilling!" he said to himself; "I will go. I have never
seen a theater yet."

The play was The Merchant of Venice, and Frank sat in rapt attention
and interest through it. When the performance was over he walked briskly
homewards. When he had proceeded some distance he saw a glare in the sky
ahead, and presently a steam engine dashed past him at full speed.

"That must be a house on fire," he said. "I have never seen a fire;" and
he broke into a run.

Others were running in the same direction, and as he passed the
"Elephant and Castle" the crowd became thicker, and when within fifty
yards of the house he could no longer advance. He could see the flames
now rising high in the air. A horrible fear seized him.

"It must be," he exclaimed to himself, "either our house or the one next
door."

It was in vain that he pressed forward to see more nearly. A line of
policemen was drawn up across the road to keep a large space clear for
the firemen. Behind the policemen the crowd were thickly packed. Frank
inquired of many who stood near him if they could tell him the number of
the house which was on fire; but none could inform him.

Presently the flames began to die away, and the crowd to disperse. At
length Frank reached the first line of spectators.

"Can you tell me the number of the ho