Mr. Boise came out of his office then. He had evidently heard what the junior partner said.
“Try and be a little more careful, Tom,” he remarked kindly. “I know you are new at it, and you’ll get along all right after a while. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. It’s better to be sure than sorry, you know. That’s an old adage, but it’s a good one. Have you changed the party to my wire?”
“Yes, sir,” answered Tom, grateful for the kind manner in which the head of the firm spoke.
Tom could not help being a little nervous, but he kept a good grip on himself, shut his teeth firmly together and resolved to make no more mistakes that day. He was glad when the noon hour came, as he could go out and get something to eat, and, while he was gone, one of the junior clerks operated the switchboard. Tom went to a little restaurant where Charley Grove had promised to meet him.
“Well,” asked his chum, “how’d you make out?”
“Pretty well, I guess. I made a couple of blunders, and Mr. Cutler, the junior partner, scolded me.”
“Aw, don’t mind that. Tell him it was the central girl’s fault.”
“But it wasn’t.”
“Aw, how do they know? I always blame the girls. They’re used to it, and, besides, the bosses never see ’em, so it don’t make no difference.”
“I don’t think I’d like to do that. I’ll catch on to it after a while.”