"I am ready to give him a place in my store," proceeded Ebenezer. "I
always keep a boy, and thinks I to myself, the wages I give will
help along the widder Carr. You see, I like to combine business with
consideration for my feller creeters."

Mrs. Carr smiled faintly, for in spite of her serious strait she
could not help being amused at the notion of Ebenezer Graham's
philanthropy.

"What's going to become of Tom Tripp?" asked Herbert, abruptly.

"Thomas Tripp isn't exactly the kind of boy I want in my store,"
said Mr. Graham. "He's a harum-scarum sort of boy, and likes to
shirk his work. Then I suspect he stops to play on the way when I
send him on errands. Yesterday he was five minutes longer than he
need to have been in goin' to Sam Dunning's to carry some groceries.
Thomas doesn't seem to appreciate his privileges in bein' connected
with a business like mine."

Tom Tripp was hardly to blame for not recognizing his good luck in
occupying a position where he received a dollar and a half a week
for fourteen hours daily work, with half a dozen scoldings thrown
in.

"How do you know I will suit you any better than Tom?" asked
Herbert, who did not think it necessary to thank Mr. Graham for the
proffered engagement until he learned just what was expected of him,
and what his pay was to be.

"You're a different sort of a boy," said Ebenezer, with an attempt