"Good-day, Mr. Tomkins. What can we do for you this time?" asked the clerk.
"A good deal, if you care. Can we come in behind? I want to speak to you about my young friend here."
"To be sure," the clerk replied. "Step in. Now, what is it?" he asked. "I recognize your companion. He is the son of the late Mr. Marchant."
"Quite so; and he wishes to go abroad to America, to make his way in the world. Can you do anything for him in the way of a cheap passage?"
"He could go for nothing, or rather, could earn a pound and food besides the berth. But he'd have to rough it."
"I'm ready for that, any day; in fact, I'd like to start right away," Hal said, eagerly.
"Then I may as well tell you that there is a vacancy for a greaser aboard the Mohican. Will you take that? There! A passage, your grub, and a pound at the end of the trip."
"You can put my name down for it," said Hal. "I'll go on the Mohican; and I thank you for your kindness."
"Not at all; it's nothing after the freights we got from your father's foundry. Good-day, sir; good-day, Tomkins. Excuse me, but I'm very busy." The clerk nodded in a friendly way, and departed.
"I put that down as a good omen," said Tomkins as they emerged into the street. "You're in luck, Hal, for right from the commencement you get what you want. The rest will come just the same, let us hope. Now I'll leave you, as I have matters to attend to."