Fred looked wistfully at Mr. Wainwright.
"I should not like to leave Mr. Wainwright," he said.
"Especially as he has raised your pay to twenty-five dollars a week," said the banker smiling.
"You can't be in earnest, sir?"
"When you get your first week's salary on Saturday, you will see that I am in earnest."
"I see, then, that I must do without you," said the merchant. "Wainwright, I take back all I said. I advise you to keep Fred by all means as long as he will stay with you."
The banker had opened his check book and was writing out a check. He tore it from the book and handed it to Fred. It ran thus:
No. 10,531
PARK NATIONAL BANK.
Pay to the order of FRED FENTON
ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS.