“That’s too bad. You ought to learn to be a telephone boy. I know two or three who make more money than I do.”
“Is it hard to learn?”
“Well, it isn’t so very easy, and if you’re in a busy office like mine it keeps you on the jump. It’s no fun to have all three members of the firm trying to get connections at once, and half a dozen parties on the outside wanting to talk to the partners to give orders to sell or buy stocks. I couldn’t do it at first, and I got all mixed up, but I can work it all right now.”
“I’d like to have a place like that,” said Tom. “I used to take orders over the telephone in the grocery store.”
“Bein’ on a private exchange is a heap different from that,” said Charley, as he walked along beside Tom.
“Do you think there’s a place in your office for another boy?” asked Tom, rather wistfully, as he thought of the good salary his chum was getting.
“I don’t believe so. But I’ll keep my ears open, and if I hear of anything in that line, I’ll let you know.”
“I wish you would. I’ll have to look for something after Christmas, and I’m afraid I’ll have a hard task finding anything.”
“Where were you when I saw you getting off the car?” asked Charley.
“I’d been over in the Back Bay section, to collect some money from a Dr. Spidderkins.”