"Yes; I have watched him carefully, and I can judge. He is a relation of yours, you say, Mr. Little."
"And you say he has never been in a store before?"
"I am glad to hear it," said Ezra Little, indifferently. "He is penniless, and has his own way to make."
At twelve o'clock his uncle came up to the counter.
"Here is some money," he said. "You can go out and buy some lunch. We can't spare you to go home."
"Mind you are not away more than half an hour."
"No, there is a place on the next block where you can buy what you need."
Scott put on his hat and left the store. He looked to see the amount of his lunch money. It was fifteen cents. This was not liberal, but he felt that he could make it do.
He joined another clerk, who guided him to a small place where, with his money, he was able to buy a cup of coffee, a sandwich and a piece of pie. His companion, who was a man of twenty-five, allowed himself a larger margin.
"Are you a new hand?" asked Mr. Sturgis, his fellow clerk.
"They usually put beginners in that department. How'd you get the place?"
"I know him very well, for I have been here three years. There are not many who stay here so long--that is, in the store."
"If you wasn't a relative, I'd tell you."
"I don't think that need prevent," said Scott, smiling.
"Well, Little has the reputation of paying very mean salaries. He is a very close-fisted man. How much does he pay you?"
"Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof. You look pretty well now, but Ezra Little won't clothe you in purple and fine linen."
"How is it you stay so long if the salaries are so poor?" was Scott's natural question.
"Well, I am well known and have a considerable trade of my own. I was once junior partner in a firm on Sixth Avenue, but we failed. By the way, Scott, how do you like your cousin, Loammi?"
"I am not in love with him," answered Scott, with a smile.
"We all dislike him here. He sometimes comes to the store, and puts on the airs of a boss."
At six o'clock the store closed for the day. On Saturday evenings it was kept open later. Scott did not accompany his uncle home, as Mr. Little had a little business that detained him.
It was about a mile to Forty-seventh Street, but Scott did not object to walking. It was pleasant for him after spending the day indoors to have a walk in the open air.