This thought encouraged Sam. He rose from his lowly seat, and determined to look about for a place. Presently he came to a real-estate office. Sam did not understand very well what kind of a business that was, but on the window a piece of paper was pasted, on which was written, "A Boy Wanted."
"I guess I"ll go in," thought Sam. "Maybe they"ll take me."
There were three boys ahead of him; but they were not very eligible-looking specimens. So they were dismissed with small ceremony, and Sam was beckoned to the desk.
"I suppose you have come about the place," said a man with black whiskers, and a pen behind his ear.
"Yes," answered Sam.
"How old are you?"
"Twelve."
"Rather young. Still you are large of your age."
"I am pretty strong," said Sam, anxious to succeed in his application.
"There isn"t any work to be done that requires strength," said the black-whiskered man. "How is your education?"
"Pretty good," said Sam, with hesitation.
"Do you live in the city?"
"Yes, sir."
"With your parents?"
"No, sir. They are dead."
"That is an objection. Perhaps, however, you live with an aunt or uncle. That will answer as well."
"Yes," said Sam, determined to obviate this objection. "I live with my uncle."
"Where does he live?"
"In New York," answered Sam.
"Don"t you understand me? I mean to ask the street and number."
Sam was posed. He could not at the moment think of the name of any street except Broadway. But it would not do to hesitate. So he said promptly, "He lives at No. 656 Broadway."
"What is his business?" inquired the black-whiskered man.
"He keeps a store," answered Sam, feeling that he was getting deeper and deeper into the mire.
"What sort of a store?"
"A grocery store."
"What, at 656 Broadway?" demanded the other, in surprise. "I didn"t know there was a grocery store in that neighborhood."
"Oh, murder!" thought Sam. "I"m found out."
He made no answer, because he could not think of any.
"Why don"t your father give you a place in his own store?" asked the real-estate agent, with some suspicion in his tone.
"He"s got all the help he wants," said Sam, quickly.
Here another boy entered the office, a boy neatly dressed, and intelligent in appearance.
"Sit down a moment," said the agent to Sam, "while I speak with this other lad."
Sam took a seat, and listened to the conversation with the other boy.
The conclusion of the matter was, that the other boy was engaged and Sam was obliged to go out to offer his services in some other quarter.
"What a lot of lies I had to tell!" he reflected. "What"s the use of their asking so many questions? I don"t see. I"ll have to try somewhere else."
As Sam was sauntering along he was accosted by a tall man, evidently from the country.
"Boy, can you direct me to the "Tribune" office?"
"Yes, sir," said Sam, "but it"s some ways from here. It"ll be worth ten cents to lead you there."
The gentleman hesitated.
"Well," he said after a pause, "I"ll give it to you."
"Will you give it to me now?" asked Sam.
"I will pay you when you have done your work."
"The reason I asked was, because I showed a man the other day, and then he wouldn"t pay me."
"That was mean," said the stranger. "I hope you don"t think I would serve you so."
"Oh, no, sir. You"re a gentleman," said Sam. "You wouldn"t cheat a poor boy that hasn"t had any breakfast this mornin"."
"Dear me! you don"t say so?" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the compa.s.sionate stranger, shocked at Sam"s fiction. "Here, take this twenty-five cents. Do you often have to go without your breakfast?"
"Often, sir," said Sam, unblushingly. "It"s hard times for poor boys like me."
"There"s another quarter," said the stranger, his compa.s.sion still more deeply moved.
Sam did feel some compunction now, for he was about to make a very poor return for the kindness of his new acquaintance. The fact was, he had not the slightest idea where the "Tribune" office was, and he had therefore undertaken what he was unable to perform. But he had gone too far to recede. Besides, he did not feel prepared to give up the money which he had obtained through false pretences. So counterfeiting a confidence which he did not feel he led the way up Centre street, saying, "This way, sir. I"ll lead you right to the office."
"I never was at the office," said the stranger, "though I"ve been a subscriber to the weekly "Tribune" for ten years."
"That"s a good while," said Sam.