cannot say. You
might hire a lawyer to look into the case, and again you might have this
Slocum arrested for locking you in the office. The loss of the packet
complicates matters. Did it have your name on?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then you had better wait, and in the meantime advertise for the packet,
offering a reward. That tramp may be watching for such an advertisement."

This was sound advice; but Jerry had no money, and said so.

"I will pay for the advertisement and take it out of your pay," said Mr.
Islen; and the notice was written out without delay and sent off by the
office boy.

The young oarsman now felt a trifle lighter in heart. He reasoned that the
packet would be of no value to the tramp and that he would be glad to
surrender it in hope of a reward. He did not remember at the time that he
had written Alexander Slocum's name and address on the outside wrapper;
yet such was a fact.

When Jerry entered the bindery he found several pairs of curious eyes bent
upon him from boys of about his own age. Without delay Mr. Grice set our
hero to work.

"What is your name?" asked one of the boys, as soon as he had a chance.

"Jerry Upton. What is yours?"

"Dick Lenning. Say, do you know you have got the job Grice was going to
give my brother?"

"No, I don't."

"It's so. Jack was coming to work to-morrow. It ain't fair to take the
bread out of a fellow's mouth like that," growled Dick Lenning.

"I fancy Mr. Islen gave me my position--" Jerry ventured.

"Oh! So it was the boss put you in. Well, it ain't fair anyway. Where do
you come from--Brooklyn?"

"No, Lakeview."

"Never heard of it. Must be some country village. You look like a
hayseed."

As Dick Lenning spoke he gazed around to see if Mr. Grice had gone. Then
he added in a whisper:

"You have to set up the drinks for the crowd before you can work here,
see?"

"Drinks," repeated our hero.

"Sure; all the new hands do that."

"I--I rather think I won't."

"You are too mean."

"It's not that; I don't drink."

"You are a country jay, and no mistake."

Dick Lenning leaned forward and shoved Jerry with his elbow, at the same
time putting one foot behind the youth. He wanted to trip our hero up, but
Jerry was on guard, and, resisting him, the young oarsman caused him to
slip down against a bench upon which rested a pot of book-binders' glue.

The glue tipped over and part of it went down Lenning's leg, causing him
to yell like a wild Indian.