oncerned," asserted the speaker with a wave of his hands, "he don't
know no more about bankin' 'n a cat. He couldn't count a thousan'
dollars in an hour, an', as for addin' up a row o' figures, he couldn't
git it twice alike, I don't believe, if he was to be hung for't."

"He must understand the meaning of his own books and accounts, I should
think," remarked John.

"Oh," said Chet scornfully, "anybody c'd do that. That's easy 'nough;
but as fur 's the real bus'nis is concerned, he don't have nothin' to do
with it. It's all ben left to me: chargin' an' creditin', postin',
individule ledger, gen'ral ledger, bill-book, discount register,
tickler, for'n register, checkin' off the N'York accounts, drawin' off
statemunts f'm the ledgers an' bill-book, writin' letters--why, the'
ain't an hour 'n the day in bus'nis hours some days that the's an hour
't I ain't busy 'bout somethin'. No, sir," continued Chet, "Dave don't
give himself no trouble about the bus'nis. All he does is to look after
lendin' the money, an' seein' that it gits paid when the time comes, an'
keep track of how much money the' is here an' in N'York, an' what notes
is comin' due--an' a few things like that, that don't put pen to paper,
ner take an hour of his time. Why, a man'll come in an' want to git a
note done, an' it'll be 'All right,' or, 'Can't spare the money to-day,'
all in a minute. He don't give it no thought at all, an' he ain't 'round
here half the time. Now," said Chet, "when I work fer a man I like to
have him 'round so 't I c'n say to him: 'Shall I do it so? or shall I do
it _so_? shall I? or sha'n't I?' an' then when I make a mistake--'s
anybody's liable to--he's as much to blame 's I be."

"I suppose, then," said John, "that you must have to keep Mr. Harum's
private accounts also, seeing that he knows so little of details. I have
been told that he is interested in a good many matters besides this
business."

"Wa'al," replied Timson, somewhat disconcerted, "I suppose he must keep
'em himself in _some_ kind of a fashion, an' I don't know a thing about
any outside matters of his'n, though I suspicion he has got quite a few.
He's got some books in that safe" (pointing with his finger) "an' he's
got a safe in the vault, but if you'll believe _me_"--and the speaker
looked as if he hardly expected it--"I hain't never so much as seen the
inside of either one on 'em. No, sir," he declared, "I hain't no more
idee of what's in them safes 'n you have.