"Exactly," was the response with a smile. The General was delighted with Pat's success, and he could not help showing it.
"Pat is getting himself a reputation among your customers," he remarked pleasantly.
"Frankly, General," replied Mr. Farnham, "he's the best boy I ever had. He shall have his thirty dollars."
If the whistle was merry the night before, it was mad with joy on that Wednesday evening.
"Pat! Pat! what ails you?" cried his mother as the boy came bounding in with a shout and a toss of his cap. "You'll be wakin' your brothers."
"I'd like to wake 'em, mother," was the jubilant answer. "I've got news that's worth wakin' 'em for."
"And what is it?" was the eager question.
"Well, mother, then it's this. I'm to have thirty dollars a month and to stay at the dress counter."
"Pat! Pat!" exclaimed the little woman, excited in her turn. "It's forty years old I am, and sure and I know better than to be wakin' b'ys out of their slape jist to be hearin' a bit of news. But I'm goin' to wake 'em. They shall be knowin' this night what comes to a b'y that does his best when he's got Gineral Brady to back him. And would Gineral Brady back you if you didn't desarve it? That he wouldn't. I ain't heard nothin' of his backin' up street loafers nor any sort of shiftless b'ys."
The boys were wakened, and a difficult task it was. But when, at last, they were all thoroughly roused and were made to understand that there was no fire, nor any uproar in the streets, nor a train off the track, they stared about them wonderingly. And when they had been told of Pat's good fortune, "Is that all?" asked jealous little Jim, and down went his red head on the pillow, and shut went his eyes in a twinkling. Barney and Tommie, who knew not the value of money, gazed solemnly at their mother and Pat, and then into each other's eyes and composedly laid themselves down to renewed slumber. And Larry howled till the windows rattled, for Larry was a strong child for his years, and never before had he been waked up in the night. But Andy sat up in bed and clasped his brother's hand in both his while his face showed his delight.