“But he might steal it again when your back was turned,” argued Harry. “Do you think a boy who would steal would be a safe person to employ in a big place like this, full of beautiful and expensive things? I don’t. Why, if such things weren’t looked after and reported, a whole lot of the employees might be tempted to take what didn’t belong to them. First thing you know the store might fail and then everyone in it would be without work.”
“I guess that’s so,” admitted Ted, visibly impressed by Harry’s somewhat far-fetched argument for strict honesty of purpose as well as deed.
“Of course it’s so,” nodded Harry. “Why, I wouldn’t put my name on this card if I weren’t ready and willing to obey all the rules of this store.”
“Well, I don’t suppose I would, either,” admitted Teddy. “I thought if I got clear of school and went to work I could do as I pleased. But this doesn’t look like it.” He wagged his head in disapproval of the card.
“Oh, well, here goes.” He wrote “Yes” in a large, boyish hand after the contested question.
A brief silence ensued. The boys wrote their answers carefully. They wished to hand Mr. Keene neatly written applications.
“There, it’s done.” Harry heaved a little sigh of relief. Laying down his pen he turned to the first page of his application blank and began to read over what he had written. Teddy finished writing soon afterward. His application filled, Harry busied himself with watching what went on about him, while he waited for Teddy. The outer office, which they were in, was much larger than the inner one. About it were scattered several desks. There was one large desk at one side of the room, but it was closed. The boy wondered vaguely to whom it belonged. It must belong to a person of importance. It was by far the largest desk in the office. At a smaller desk a little to one side sat a young man. He was busily engaged in transferring something from cards to a large book that looked for all the world like the teacher’s register in school. The cards were about the size of a post-card and from where he sat Harry could see that they were ruled into little squares and had printing at the left-hand side. He guessed that these were the record cards of the boys of the great establishment, and he afterward found his guess to be correct.
“All right. I’m done.” Teddy finished writing with a flourish, and rose from the table.
“Better look your blank over, first,” advised Harry. “I went over mine.”
“Oh, bother,” ejaculated Teddy impatiently. Nevertheless, he sat down again and read over what he had written. “Say,” he turned to Harry. “What salary did you put down?”