Dan, The Newsboy. Alger Horatio Jr.

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СКАЧАТЬ pay for them at all."

      "Honesty is the best policy, young feller," said Dan.

      "No more of your impudence!" said the clerk, sharply. "Wait here a minute till I speak to Mr. Gripp."

      He kept Dan before the counter, and approached the proprietor.

      "Well, what is it, Samuel?" asked Mr. Gripp, stroking his jet-black whiskers. "Are the vests all right?"

      "Pretty well, sir, but the boy is impudent."

      "Ha! how is that?"

      "He keeps calling me 'young feller.'"

      "Anything more?"

      "He don't seem to have any respect for me—or you," he added, shrewdly.

      Nathan Gripp frowned. He cared very little about his clerk, but he resented any want of respect to himself. He felt that the balance at his bankers was large enough to insure him a high degree of consideration from his work-people at least.

      "How many vests are there?" he asked.

      "Half a dozen."

      "And the boy wants his pay, I suppose."

      "He hasn't asked for it, but he will. They always do."

      "Tell him we only pay when a full dozen are finished and brought in. We'll credit him, or his mother, with these."

      "That'll pay them off," thought the astute clothing merchant.

      Samuel received this order with inward satisfaction, and went back smiling.

      "Well, young feller," said he, "it's all right. The vests ain't over-well done, but we'll keep 'em. Now you can go."

      But Dan did not move.

      "It seems to me you've forgotten something," he said.

      "What's that?"

      "You haven't paid me for the work."

      "It's all right. We'll pay when the next half dozen are brought in. Will you take 'em now?"

      Dan was disagreeably surprised. This was entirely out of the usual course, and he knew very well that the delay would be a great inconvenience.

      "We've always been paid when we brought in work," he said.

      "We've changed our rule," said the clerk, nonchalantly. "We only pay when a full dozen are brought in."

      "What difference does it make to you? We need the money, and can't wait."

      "It's my orders, young feller. It's what Mr. Gripp just told me."

      "Then I'll speak to him," said Dan, promptly.

      "Just as you like."

      Dan approached the proprietor of the establishment.

      "Mr. Gripp," said he, "I've just brought in half a dozen vests, but your clerk here won't pay me for them."

      "You will get your pay, young man, when you bring in another half dozen."

      "But, Mr. Gripp, we need the money. We haven't got a big bank account. Our rent is due to-morrow."

      "Is it, indeed? I don't see how that concerns me."

      "Will you pay me to-night as a favor?" pleaded Dan, humbling himself for his mother's sake.

      "I can't break over my rule," said Nathan Gripp. "Besides, Samuel says the work isn't very well done."

      "Then he lies!" exclaimed Dan, provoked.

      "Do you hear that, Mr. Gripp?" ejaculated the angry Samuel, his tallowy complexion putting on a faint flush. "Didn't I tell you he was impudent?"

      Nathan Gripp's small black eyes snapped viciously.

      "Boy," said he, "leave my store directly. How dare you address me in such a way, you young tramp?"

      "I'm no more a tramp than yourself," retorted Dan, now thoroughly angry.

      "Samuel, come here, and put out this boy!" exclaimed Nathan, too dignified to attempt the task himself.

      Samuel advanced, nothing loth, his fishy eyes gleaming with pleasure.

      "Get out, you vagabond!" he exclaimed, in the tone of authority.

      "You're a couple of swindlers!" exclaimed Dan. "You won't pay for honest work."

      "Out with him, Samuel!" ordered Gripp.

      Samuel seized Dan by the shoulder, and attempted to obey orders, but our hero doubled him up with a blow from his fist, and the luckless clerk, faint and gasping, staggered and nearly fell.

      Dan stepped out on the sidewalk, and raising his hat, said, with mock politeness, "Good-morning, gentlemen!" and walked away, leaving Gripp and his assistant speechless with anger.

      CHAPTER IV.

      AN ODD COUPLE

      When Dan's excitement was over, he felt that he had won a barren victory. He had certainly been badly treated, and was justified in yielding to his natural indignation; but for all that he had acted unwisely.

      Nathan Gripp had not refused payment, he had only postponed it, and as he had the decided advantage, which money always has when pitted against labor, it would have been well to have been conciliatory. Now Gripp would undoubtedly annoy him with further delay, and refuse to give Mrs. Mordaunt any further work.

      "I suppose I've acted like a fool," said Dan to himself, with compunction. "My spunk is always getting the better of me, and I am afraid poor mother will have to suffer. Well, there's no use crying for spilt milk; I must see what I can do to mend matters."

      While these thoughts were passing through Dan's mind he found himself passing the clothing establishment of Jackson & Co., who were special rivals of Mr. Gripp.

      "Perhaps I can get some work for mother here," thought Dan. "I'll try, at any rate."

      He entered, and looking about him, attracted the attention of a clerk.

      "Do you want something in our line to-day?" asked the clerk, pleasantly.

      "Yes, I do," said Dan, "if you're giving things away; but as I've got a note of ten thousand dollars to meet to-morrow, I can't pay anything out."

      "Your credit ought to be good," said the salesman, smiling, "but we don't trust."

      "All right," said Dan; "I may as well proceed to business. My mother makes vests for amusement. Can you give her any work?"

      "I will speak to Mr. Jackson. One of our hands is sick, and if your mother understands how to do the work, we may be able to give her some."

      The young man went to the rear of the store, and returned with the proprietor.

      "Has your mother any experience?" asked the proprietor, a big man, with sandy whiskers.

      He was an Englishman, СКАЧАТЬ