work, our hero visited other shoe establishments in the hope of
employment. But his search was in vain. Chance in this emergency
made him acquainted with Professor Henderson, a well-known magician
and conjurer, whose custom it was to travel, through the fall and
winter, from town to town, giving public exhibitions of his skill.
He was in want of an assistant, to sell tickets and help him
generally, and he offered the position to our hero, at a salary of
five dollars a week. It is needless to say that the position was
gladly accepted. It was not the business that Harry preferred, but
he reasoned justly that it was honorable, and was far better than
remaining idle. He found Professor Henderson as he called himself, a
considerate and agreeable employer, and as may be inferred from the
conversation with which this chapter begins, his services were very
satisfactory. At the close of the six months, he had the
satisfaction of paying the note which his father had given, and so of
disappointing the selfish schemes of the grasping creditor.

This was not all. He met with an adventure while travelling for the
Professor, in which a highwayman who undertook to rob him, came off
second best, and he was thus enabled to add fifty dollars to his
savings. His financial condition at the opening of the present story
has already been set forth.

Though I have necessarily omitted many interesting details, to be
found in "Bound to Rise," I have given the reader all the information
required to enable him to understand the narrative of Harry's
subsequent fortunes.