s," answered Herbert, mechanically.

This reply, so short, and given with so little expression, gave Bob a
feeling of uneasiness.

"I hope you ain't getting discouraged," he ventured next.

"No, nothing will discourage me now," replied young Randolph doggedly.

"But you hain't got no encouragement yet?"

"No, none whatever," was the gloomy answer.

"And you've been trying for three weeks to strike something?"

"Yes; it's nearer four weeks, and my shoes are worn out with walking."

"But you know I have some money for you, and you better take it and buy
you a new pair."

[Illustration: HERBERT RANDOLPH SHOVELING SNOW.]

"No, Bob, I will never take that except as a last resort. While I have
my health I shall not allow myself to accept charity. I am not afraid
to do any sort of work, and sooner or later I am confident that I shall
find employment. This morning I earned seventy five cents shoveling snow
from the stoops of houses. This sort of employment, however, is very
uncertain, as so little snow falls here; but there are other odd jobs to
be done, and I shall try and get my share of them."

"I didn't know you was doing that kind of work, Herbert," said Bob, with
a deep drawn sigh. "It ain't right for a boy with your learnin' to come
down to that."

"It's right for me to do anything temporarily to earn an honest penny.
One who is above work cannot hope to succeed. I am here, and I am going
to stay, and the best I can do is to do always the best I can, and the
best I can do just at present is to be a porter, an errand boy, a boy of
all work--ready for anything, and willing to do anything, always keeping
my eyes open for a chance to go a step higher.

"The trouble with me now, Bob, is that I started in too elegantly at
first. I commenced in a broker's office, when I should have started at
the bottom, in order to know anything about the first round of the
ladder. I'm at the bottom now, and it looks as if I would have to remain
there long enough to learn a good deal about that position."

"I'm glad you feel that way, Herbert, for I thought you was getting
discouraged," replied Bob, his face brightening up.

"I did feel utterly discouraged for the first two or three weeks;
but you know, Bob, one can get used to anything, and I have become
sufficiently accustomed to this miserable kind of work, and to the
beggarly pennies I earn from time to time, so that it is less cutting to
me than at first. I try to content