"I owe you some kindness," said Mr. Turner. "There are other ways in which I shall find an opportunity to serve you. But of that we will speak here-after. When do you want to come?"
"Whenever you think best, sir."
"Then let it be next Monday morning, at nine o'clock. James will remain a week or two, till you get a little familiar with your duties. And now, my young friend, this is all the time I can spare you this morning. Good-by till Monday."
Mr. Turner shook hands with Rufus, and the latter left the office with the strange feeling which we always have when a great change is going to take place in our course of life. He was about to bid farewell to the life of a newsboy, and enter upon a business career in Wall Street. He could not help feeling a thrill of new importance as he thought of this, and his ambition was roused. Why should he not rise to a position of importance like the men whom he had heard of and seen, whose beginnings had been as humble as his own? He determined to try, at all events.
He returned to Miss Manning to acquaint her and Rose with his good fortune. The seamstress seemed quite impressed with the news.
"Who knows what may come of it, Rufus?" she said. "Some day you may be a rich man,—perhaps president of a bank."
"Which shall I be, Rose, a bull or a bear?" inquired Rufus, playfully.
"You can't be a bull," said Rose, positively, "for you haven't got any horns."
"Then I suppose I must be a bear," said the newsboy, laughing.