MESSRS. FLINT AND PUSHER.
Now that he was again in his native village, Walter realized how
unpleasant had been his position at Mr. Drummond's from the new
elasticity and cheerfulness which he felt. There had been something
gloomy and oppressive in the atmosphere of his temporary home at
Stapleton, and he certainly had very little enjoyment in Joshua's
society. Mrs. Drummond was the only one for whom he felt the least
regard.
He passed a few days quietly, renewing old acquaintances and
friendships. Nancy Forbes had gone to live with a brother, who was an
old bachelor, and very glad to have her with him. Her savings and the
legacy left her by Mr. Conrad together amounted to a thousand dollars,
or rather more,--sufficient to make Nancy rich, in her own opinion. But
she was not quite satisfied about the legacy.
"They say, Walter, that you'll be left poor," she said. "You'll need
this money."
"No, I shan't, Nancy," answered Walter. "Besides, there's a lot of
mining stock that'll come to something,--I don't know how much."
"But I don't feel right about taking this money, Walter."
"You needn't feel any scruples, Nancy. I can take care of myself. I can
paddle my own canoe."
"But you haven't got any canoe," said Nancy, who did not comprehend the
allusion. "Besides, I don't see how that would help you to a living."
Walter laughed.
"I shall get a canoe, then," he said, "and I'll steer it on to Fortune."
"At any rate," said Nancy, "I will leave you my money when I die."
"Who knows but you'll marry and have a lot of children?"
"That isn't very likely, Walter, and me forty-seven a'ready. I'm most an
old woman."
So the conversation ended. Nancy agreed, though reluctantly, to take the
legacy, resolved some time or other to leave it to Walter. If she had
known how little he really had left, she would not have consented to
accept it at all.
The same evening Walter sat in the lawyer's comfortable sitting-room,
and together they discussed the future.
"So you want to be a book agent, Walter?" said Mr. Shaw. "I can't say I
think very highly of this plan."
"Why not, Mr. Shaw?"
"It will lead to nothing."
"I don't mean to spend my life at it. I am more ambitious than that. But
it will give me a chance to travel without expense, and I always wanted
to see something of the world."
"How old are you now?"
"Fifteen."
"You are well-grown of your age. You might readily be taken for
sixteen."
"Do you really think so?" asked Walter, gratified, like most boys of his
age, at being thought to look older than he really was.
"Yes; at sixteen I was smaller than you now are."
"You see, Mr. Shaw, that, as I am so young, even if I spend a year at
this business, I shall not be too old to undertake something else
afterwards. In the mean time I shall see something of the world."
"Well, Walter, I won't oppose you. If I had not so much confidence in
you, I should warn you of the temptations that are likely to beset your
youth, left, as you will be, entirely to yourself. Of course you will be
thrown among all kinds of associates."
"Yes, sir; but I think I shall be wise enough to avoid what will do me
no good."
"So I hope and believe. Now, what is the name of this publisher you were
speaking of?"
"Pusher. He's of the firm of Flint & Pusher."
"I have heard of them. They are an enterprising firm."
"I think I had better start pretty soon, Mr. Shaw. I shall enjoy myself
better when I am at work."
"Next Monday, then, if you desire it."
It was then Friday.
On Monday morning Mr. Shaw handed Walter a pocket-book containing a
roll of bills. "You will need some money to defray your expenses," he
said, "until you are able to earn something. You will find fifty dollars
in this pocket-book. There is no occasion to thank me, for I have only
advanced it from money realized from your father's estate. If you need
any more, you can write me, and I can send you a check or money-order."
"This will be quite enough, Mr. Shaw," said Walter, confidently. "It
won't be long before I shall be paying my way; at least I hope so. I
don't mean to be idle."
"I am sure you won't be, or you will belie your reputation. Well,
good-by, Walter. Write me soon and often. You know I look upon myself as
in some sort your guardian."
"I will certainly write you, Mr. Shaw. By the way, I never thought to
ask you about the furniture of my room at the Essex Classical
Institute."
"It was purchased by the keeper of the boarding-house; at a sacrifice,
it is true, but I thought it best to let it go, to save trouble."
[Illustration]
"I should like to see Lem," thought Walter, with a little sigh as he
called to mind the pleasant hours he had passed with his school-fellow.
"I'll go back and pay the old institute a visit some time, after I've
got back from my travels."
Walter reached New York by ten o'clock. Though his acquaintance with the
city streets was very limited, as he had seldom visited it, he found his
way without much trouble to the place of business of Messrs. Flint &
Pusher. As they did not undertake to do a retail business, but worked
entirely through agents, their rooms were not on the first floor, but on
the third. Opening the door of the room, to which he was guided by a
directory in the entry beneath, Walter found himself in a large
apartment, the floor of which was heaped up with piles of books, chiefly
octavos. An elderly gentleman, with a partially bald head, and wearing
spectacles, was talking with two men, probably agents.
"Well, young man," said he, in rather a sharp voice, "what can I do for
you?"
"Is Mr. Pusher in?" asked Walter.
"He went out for a few minutes; will be back directly. Did you wish
particularly to see him?"
"Yes, sir."
"Take a seat, then, and wait till he comes in."
Walter sat down and listened to the conversation.
"You met with fair success, then?" inquired Mr. Flint.
"Yes, the book takes well. I sold ten in one day, and six and eight in
other days."
Walter pricked up his ears. He wondered whether the book was the one
recommended to him. If so, a sale of ten copies would enable the agent
to realize twelve dollars and a half, which was certainly doing very
well.
Just as the agents were going out, Mr. Pusher bustled in. His sharp eyes
fell upon Walter, whom he immediately recognized.
"Ha, my young friend, so you have found us out," he said, offering his
hand.
"Yes, sir."
"Come to talk on business, I hope?"
"Yes, sir, that is my object in coming."
"Mr. Flint," said Mr. Pusher, "this is a young friend whose acquaintance
I made a short time since. I told him, if ever he wanted employment, to
come here, and we would give him something to do."
Mr. Flint, who was a slower and a more cautious man than Mr. Pusher,
regarded Walter a little doubtfully.
"Do you mean as an agent?" he said.
"Certainly I do."
"He seems very young."
"That's true, but age isn't always an advantage. He looks smart, and
I'll guarantee that he is all he looks. I claim to be something of a
judge of human nature too."
"No doubt you're right," said Mr. Flint, who was accustomed to defer
considerably to his more impetuous partner. "What's the young man's
name?"
"You've got me there," said Mr. Pusher, laughing. "If I ever knew, which
is doubtful, I've forgotten."
"My name is Walter Conrad," said our hero.
"Very good. Well, Conrad," continued Mr. Pusher, in an off-hand manner,
"what are your wishes? What book do you want to take hold of?"
"You mentioned a book the other day,--'Scenes in Bible Lands.'"
"Yes, our new book. That would be as good as any to begin on. How's the
territory, Mr. Flint?"
Mr. Flint referred to a book.
"Most of the territory near by is taken up," he said. "Does Mr. Conrad
wish to operate near home?"
"I would rather go to a distance," said Walter.
"As far as Ohio?"
"Yes."
"In that case you could map out your own route pretty much. We haven't
got the West portioned out as we have the Middle and New England
States."
"In other words, we can give you a kind of roving commission, Conrad,"
put in Mr. Pusher.
"That would suit me, sir," said Walter.
"Still it would be best not to attempt to cover too much territory. A
rolling stone gathers no moss, you know. There is one important
question I must ask you to begin with. Have you got any money?"
"Yes, sir, I have fifty dollars."
"Good. Of course you will need money to get out to your field of labor,
and will have to pay your expenses till you begin to earn something.
Fifty dollars will answer very well."
"As I don't know very well how the business is managed," said Walter, "I
must ask for instructions."
"Of course. You're a green hand. Sit down here, and I'll make it all
plain to you."
So Mr. Pusher, in his brief, incisive way, explained to Walter how he
must manage. His instructions were readily comprehended, and Walter, as
he listened, felt eager to enter upon the adventurous career which he
had chosen.