"You've hit it! There's where I did come from. I was raised
twenty-five miles from Portland on a farm. But it would never do to
put that on the bills. People are ready to pay more for imported than
for native curiosities. However, to come to business. I had a young
man traveling with me who wasn't suited to the business. He was a
dry-goods clerk when I took him, and is better adapted to that
business than to mine. He left me last week, and I have been in a
quandary about his successor. How much do you consider your time
worth?"

"Just at present it isn't worth much. If you will pay my traveling
expenses, that will satisfy me."

"I will do better than that I will give you five dollars a week
besides, if business is good."

"Thank you, sir. I think I shall enjoy traveling."

There are few boys who do not like change of scene, and the chance of
seeing new places is attractive to all. Harry was decidedly of the
opinion that he had a streak of luck. It would be much better in all
ways than living with his late guardian, and working for partial
board.

As they approached the village of Conway, Harry's attention was drawn
to a variety of posters setting forth, in mammoth letters, that the
world-renowned Magician of Madagascar would give a magical _soiree_ at
the Town Hall in the evening. Tickets, fifteen cents; children under
twelve years, ten cents. The posters, furthermore, attracted attention