CHAPTER IV.
AT MR. GOLDWIN'S OFFICE.
On the following morning both boys rose early and breakfasted together.Then Bob hurried away to his paper trade, and Herbert applied himselfdiligently to reading the "wants." The following advertisementespecially attracted his attention:
WANTED, a bright, smart American boy of about sixteen years of age; must have good education, good character, and be willing to work. Salary small, but faithful services will be rewarded with advancement. RICHARD GOLDWIN, Banker and Broker, Wall Street.
"I think I can fill those requirements," said young Randolph to himself,thoughtfully. "For all I can see, I am as likely to be accepted by abanker as a baker or any one else in want of help. There will doubtlessbe a lot of applicants for the position, and so there would if thedemand was for street cleaning, therefore I think I may as well take mychances with the bank as at anything else."
Having come to this conclusion, he talked the matter over with BobHunter, upon whose practical sense Herbert was beginning to place a highvalue. The shrewd young newsboy approved of the plan, so our country ladstarted early for Wall Street, where the great money kings are popularlysupposed to hold high carnival, and do all sorts of extraordinarythings. When he arrived, however, at Richard Goldwin's banking house,his hopes sank very low, for before him was a long line of perhaps fortyor fifty boys, each of whom had come there hoping to secure theadvertised position.
This crowd of young Americans comprised various grades of boys. Somewere stupid, others intelligent; a few were quiet and orderly, but themajority were boisterous and rough. Squabbling was active, and tauntsand jeers were so numerous, that a strange boy from a quiet country homewould have hardly dared to join this motley crowd, unless he waspossessed of rare courage and determination.
A GLIMPSE OF WALL STREET.]
Herbert Randolph paused for a moment when he had passed through theouter door, and beheld the spectacle before him. He wondered if he hadmade a mistake and entered the wrong place; but before he had time tosettle this question in his own mind, one of the boys before him, whowas taller and more uncivil than those about him, and seemed to be aleader among them, shouted, derisively:
"Here's a new candidate--right from the barnyard too!"
All turned their attention at once to the object of the speaker'sridicule, and joined him in such remarks as "potato bug," "country,""corn fed," "greeny," "boots," and all the time they howled and jeeredat the boy from the farm most unmercifully.
"You think you'll carry off this position, maybe," said the leader,sarcastically. "You'd better go home and raise cabbage or punkins!"
Again the crowd exploded with laughter, and as many mean things as couldbe thought of were said. Herbert made no reply, but instead of turningback and running away from such a crowd, as most boys would have done,he stepped forward boldly, and took his place in the line with others toawait the arrival of the banker.
His face was flushed, and he showed plainly his indignation at theinsolent remarks made to him. Nevertheless, this very abuse stimulatedhis determination to such a degree, that he was now the last boy in theworld to be driven away by the insults and bullying of those about him.
His defiance was so bold, and his manner was so firm and independent,that he at once commanded the respect of the majority of the long lineof applicants, though all wished he were out of the way; for they saw inhim a dangerous rival for the position they sought.
A notable exception, however, to those who shared this better feeling,was the boy whom I have spoken of as the "leader," for such he seemed tobe. He was no ordinary boy, this bright, keen, New York lad, with a formof rare build, tall and straight as a young Indian. He showed in everymovement, and in the manner of his speech, that his character was apositive one, and that nature had endowed him with the qualities of aleader.
HERBERT RANDOLPH FINDS HIMSELF AMONG A MOB OF RIVALAPPLICANTS.]
These gifts he now exercised with remarkable effect upon the rawmaterial about him, if by such a term I may characterize the peculiarlymixed crowd of boys in line.
When, however, Herbert Randolph advanced to his position with suchunmistakable determination in his manner, and with firmness sodistinctly showing in every muscle of his face, our young leadertrembled visibly for an instant, and then the hot blood mantling hischeeks betrayed his anger.
He had endeavored to drive away the young Vermonter by jeers andbullying, but he failed in this attempt. In him he found his match--aboy quite equal to himself in determination, in the elegance of hisfigure and the superiority of his intellect.
The country boy lacked, however, the polish and grace of the city, andthat ease and assurance that comes from association with people in largetowns. But the purity of his character, a character as solid as thegranite hills of his native State, was of infinitely more value to himthan was all the freedom of city manner to the New York lad.
These two boys were no ordinary youths. Each of them possessed apositive and determined character. The one was bold as the other, and inintellect and the commanding qualities of their minds they were giantsamong boys.
The others felt this now in the case of both, as they had but a fewmoments before felt it regarding the one. They realized their owninferiority. The jeering and bullying ceased, and all was quiet, savethe slam of the door, as new applicants now and then dropped in andjoined the line. The silence became painful as the two prominent figureseyed each other. Herbert knew better than to make the first move. Hewaited the action of his rival, ready to defend his position.
The strange and sudden quiet of all the boys, who had but a few momentsbefore been so noisy and insulting, gave him renewed courage. He saw,to his great relief, that he had but one mind to contend with--but oneenemy to overcome. In this one's face, however, was pictured a degree ofcunning and anger that he had never seen before in all his simple life.
The evil designs in the face of the city boy momentarily became morenoticeable. Why had he so suddenly stopped his derisive remarks? And whyshould he show his evident hatred toward our hero? Is it possible thathe dare not attack him, and that he is afraid to continue the bullyingfurther? That he feels that Herbert is his equal, and perhaps more thana match for him, seems evident; and yet he will not acknowledge himselfinferior to any one, much less to this country lad.
"No, he _shall not_ get this situation away from me," he saiddeterminedly to himself; and then his mind seemed bent upon some deepplot or wicked scheme.