“No doubt of it, if you attend to business, and do whatever you are told.”
“I mean to do my duty.”
“That’s the talk,” said Fairchild, who for a wealthy city merchant used a variety of phrases hardly to be expected. “By the time you’re thirty you’ll be a rich man. I didn’t start with one quarter of your advantages. When I was your age I worked for three dollars a week, and had to pay my board out of it. See where I am now.”
Mr. Fairchild, as I have stated, was dressed rather shabbily, and, so far as appearance went, did not seem to have got far beyond the point where he started.
If Harry had not witnessed the extensive scale on which he transacted business, he might not have been very much impressed by his remarks; but, not suspecting any deception, he supposed that everything was as stated, and felt very much encouraged by his remarks.
“You’ll be taking our young friend as partner some of these days, Mr. Fairchild,” said Brandon.
“I make no promises,” answered Fairchild; “but by the time he gets grown up I shall feel the need of sharing my responsibilities with some one. If he suits me, it may be as you say.”
“Why not? I suppose you are growing rich fast, Fairchild.”
“That isn’t for me to say. I don’t tell all about my affairs, as some do; but I could afford to give away a hundred thousand dollars, and have enough left to live handsomely.”
“I congratulate you on your success, and hope our young friend here will succeed as well. By the way, I wish you would order me some coffee.”