"You must think I am made of money," said Ebenezer hastily.

"I think you can afford to pay me that salary."

For twenty minutes the new postmaster tried to beat down his
prospective clerk, but Herbert was obstinate, and Ebenezer rather
ruefully promised to give him his price, chiefly because it was
absolutely necessary that he should engage some one who was more
familiar with the post-office work than he was. Herbert agreed to go
to work the next morning.






CHAPTER III.

A PRODIGAL SON.





Herbert did not look forward with very joyful anticipations to the
new engagement he had formed. He knew very well that he should not
like Ebenezer Graham as an employer, but it was necessary that he
should earn something, for the income was now but two dollars a
week. He was sorry, too, to displace Tom Tripp, but upon this point
his uneasiness was soon removed, for Tom dropped in just after Mr.