The manager smiled grimly.
"You've guessed it, I think," he said. "How would you like the current ledger, Evan?"
"Fine!"
It never took Evan long to decide anything when his success was at stake. He had unlimited faith in promotions and quite a strong confidence in his own powers. The clerical quirks of banking were day by day disappearing before his persistent faculties, and he was always ready to take on new work for the sake of experience.
"Well," continued the manager, "I'm going to suggest to head office that Alf is drawing too big a salary for this branch to support. It may get me in bad, but after all is said and done I'm manager here, and deserve a little say. If they move him the staff will be raised one notch all round. Watson ought to make a capital teller, and—I like him."
Before long the Mt. Alban manager wrote about the matter, without consulting his teller. The reply he got from head office read:
"Please instruct Mr. Evan Nelson to report at once to Creek Bend, Ontario. By taking on a new junior you can cut down expenses and still keep your present teller.
"(Signed) I. CASTLE."
When Bill Watson saw the inspector's instructions he cursed volubly behind his ledger and exclaimed:
"That settles it; me for a move, too."