Read "Paul Prescott's Charge" by Horatio Alger, Jr. online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
At seven o'clock the next morning Paul stood before Smith & Thompson's store.
As he came up on one side, another boy came down on the other, and crossed the street.
"Are you the new boy? " he asked, surveying Paul attentively.
"I suppose so," said Paul. "I've engaged to work for Smith & Thompson."
"All right. I'm glad to see you," said the other.
This looked kind, and Paul thanked him for his welcome.
"O. " said the other, bursting into a laugh, "you needn't trouble yourself about thanking me. I'm glad you've come, because now I shan't have to open the store and sweep out. Just lend a hand there; I'll help you about taking down the shutters this morning, and to-morrow you'll have to get along alone."
The two boys opened the store.
"What's your name? " asked Paul's new acquaintance.
"Paul Prescott. What is yours?"
"Nicholas Benton. You may call me MR. Benton."
"Mr. Benton? " repeated Paul in some astonishment.
"Yes; I'm a young man now. I've been Smith & Thompson's boy till now. Now I'm promoted."
Paul looked at MR. Benton with some amusement. That young man was somewhat shorter than himself, and sole proprietor of a stock of pale yellow hair which required an abundant stock of bear's grease to keep it in order. His face was freckled and expressionless. His eyebrows and eyelashes were of the same faded color. He was dressed, however, with some pretensions to smartness. He wore a blue necktie, of large dimensions, fastened by an enormous breast-pin, which, in its already tarnished splendor, suggested strong doubts as to the apparent gold being genuine.
"There's the broom, Paul," said Mr. Benton, assuming a graceful position on the counter.
"You'll have to sweep out; only look sharp about raising a dust, or Smith'll be into your wool."
"What sort of a man is Mr. Smith? " asked Paul, with some curiosity.
"O, he's an out and outer. Sharp as a steel trap. He'll make you toe the mark."
"Do you like him? " asked Paul, not quite sure whether he understood his employer's character from the description.
"I don't like him well enough to advise any of my folks to trade with him," said Mr. Benton.