lish to put a young boy in my place, but
you've got a head on your shoulders, you have! I guess you'll fill the
bill."

"I hope to do so, Mr. Bailey."

"Jefferson tells me that you understand Latin and Greek?"

"I know something of them."

"Thats what prejudiced me against you. I hired a college boy once as a
clerk and he was the worst failure I ever came across. He seemed to have
all kinds of sense except common sense. I reckon he was a smart scholar,
and he could have made out the bills for the boarders in Latin or Greek
if it had been necessary, but he was that soft that any one could cheat
him. Things got so mixed up in the department that I had to turn him
adrift in a couple of weeks. I surmised you might be the same sort of a
chap. If you were it would be a bad lookout for Jefferson."

In Oreville Mr. Pettigrew was so well known that nearly everyone called
him by his first name. Mr. Pettigrew did not care about this as he had
no false pride or artificial dignity.

"Do you consider this hotel a good property, Mr. Bailey?"

"I'll tell you this much. I started here four years ago, and I've
made fifty thousand dollars which I shall take back with me to New
Hampshire."

"That certainly is satisfactory."

"I shouldn't wonder if you could improve upon it."

"How does it happen that you sell out such a valuable property, Mr.
Bailey? Are you tired of making money?"

"No, but I must tell you that there's a girl waiting for me at home, an
old schoolmate, who will become Mrs. Bailey as soon as possible after
I get back. If she would come out here I wouldn't sell, but she has a
mother that she wouldn't leave, and so I must go to her."

"That is a good reason, Mr. Bailey."

"Besides with fifty thousand dollars I can live as well as I want to
in New Hampshire, and hold up my head with the best. You will follow my
example some day."

"It will be a long day first, Mr. Bailey, for I am only sixteen."

On Monday morning the old landlord started for his Eastern home and
Rodney took his place. It took him some little time to become familiar
with all the details of hotel management, but he spared no pains to
insure success. He had some trouble at first with the cook who presumed
upon his position and Rodney's supposed ignorance to run things as he
chose.

Rodney complained to Mr. Pettigrew.

"I think I can fix things, Rodney," he said. "There's a man working for
me who used to be cook in a restaurant in New York.