“What’s the use of going to school and studying hard,” he cried, “if all the benefit you get from it is to qualify as an office boy. Why, I could have had a job as an office boy years ago.”
The detective’s face hardened a bit. “I began at the bottom myself,” he said, “and so far as I know, so did every other operative in the service.”
“You don’t understand,” cried Willie. “I don’t mean that I am unwilling to begin at the bottom. But being an office boy is another thing.”
“Not necessarily,” said the detective. “They can’t take anybody into the government Secret Service as an operative until they are sure of his ability and honesty. If you can get a job in the office, you’ll get a chance to show what’s in you. And if you are cut out to be a detective, I don’t know of any better way to get into the United States Secret Service.”
Willie still looked rueful. “It wouldn’t surprise me,” he said bitterly, “if I couldn’t even get a job as an office boy.”
“Maybe you wouldn’t want to be a Secret Service man after all, if you knew a little better what is involved in the work. It isn’t all fun and it isn’t all as easy as this little trick of to-day. It’s always dangerous, and sometimes it’s hard and disagreeable.”
“But how am I ever to know what it is like, if I can’t get a chance to try my hand at it?”
Detective Sheridan looked at Willie long and searchingly. “I believe you’re a good lad,” he said, “and I believe you would make good. You showed me to-day that you have some stuff in you. I didn’t need your help, but if I had needed it, I believe you would have stuck to me.”
“Of course I would!” cried Willie.
“So I am indebted to you, anyway, for it’s quite evident that you didn’t try to serve me just for the money I offered you. In fact, you spent what I gave you, and I haven’t yet given you the other dollar I promised you.” And Detective Sheridan reached for his pocket.