aking into the bank long after he was supposed
to be at work. Still, he could stir himself when the necessity arose,
and thus far had managed to hold his position.

At sight of Dick looking so longingly into the bank he was brought to a
sudden halt, and something like suspicion flashed into his eyes.

Doubtless he knew of the other's yearning toward the life of a bank
clerk, and it may be that he feared Dick was about to try and supplant
him in the job he had been holding so long.

At any rate Charles, though already late, thought it good policy to stop
and engage his friend in a brief conversation, meaning to convince Dick
as to the utter folly of ever thinking _he_ could obtain a situation
under so strict a business man as Mr. Gibbs.

"Hello! Dick. What you thinking about now? Look like you meant to come
around here some fine night and swipe the entire business. Beware of
bulldogs and traps for the unwary, my boy. We keep a heavy guard over
our millions," he laughed.

Dick showed no signs of resentment, knowing that this was only boyish
badinage, and he understood Charles even better than the other imagined.

"Don't lie awake nights for fear of _my_ breaking in and running off
with your whole establishment, Charlie. I haven't even got the price of
the wagon that might be needed to cart away the gold. But I did have
designs on the place, in one way. Do you happen to know how business is
just now, and whether the bank has need of any more help? I'd be willing
to act as porter, or anything else for the sake of getting started in
there," with a wistful look through the open window toward the busy
interior of the enclosure where the cashier and teller were working like
a hive of busy bees.

"I guess the porter racket hasn't a leg to stand on, for you see they've
got a man and his family on the payroll, and he looks after the furnace
in the winter, as well as does all the sweeping out and such menial
tasks. But it might be possible that they could make room for you as my
assistant. You see duties have kept piling up on me all the time, and
I'm the hardest worked man in the institution just at the present
minute."

Charles did not even smile as he made this monstrous assertion; he saw
his opportunity for tying the hands of the other, and was slyly playing
his little game with that idea in view.

Dick did not believe one half that the other said, and yet he was so
anxious to get in touch with some one in this place