I glanced at him, and I observed that his face was deadly pale. His lip quivered, and he appeared to be very much agitated. I was astonished at this exhibition on his part, and while I was considering whether he was angry with me or not, he walked away and drank a glass of ice water at the table. I had seen him turn very pale when he was angry, and I was afraid I had mortally offended him by my innocent zeal.
"What's the matter with the invoices, Phil?" he asked, returning to the desk with a sickly smile upon his pallid face.
"I don't know that anything is the matter with them, sir. I suppose I have made a blunder," I replied, stammering with confusion, for the situation was entirely new to me. "The May invoice of the Michigan Pine Company foots up on the book about fifteen thousand dollars, but the bill on file shows only five."
"You have made a silly blunder, Phil," laughed he; but still his lip quivered.
"I supposed I had, sir; and I only wanted to know where my mistake was."
"There is only one little trouble with you, Phil. You think you know a great deal more than you do know."
"I suppose you are right, sir. I thought I knew how to make out a trial balance and balance sheet; but I find I don't, though I have done it a dozen times under my father's direction."
"These make-believe accounts are not like real ones," added Mr. Whippleton, sagely.
"I see they are not."
"I suppose you read a check mark, or something of that kind, for a one, in the invoice book."