class="x-ebookmaker-pageno" title="[Pg 84]"/> “Do you want a boy, sir?”

Without answering, the ’Squire peeped over the top of his glasses, but tried in vain to make out who he was.

“I know your face, my young friend,” he said; “but I can’t call your name.”

“Frederick Carleton, sir.”

“Oh, yes; I know now! You’re the young lad who said, ‘I thank you,’ when you received the book in school.”

“I thank you again for it, sir. I have read it a great many times. I have it now.”

“And you want to be a flour and grain merchant?”

“Yes, sir. I should like that best of anything.”

“Why don’t you go to sea with your father?”

“Mother wants me to stay with her. If it were not for that, my brother-in-law would take me into his store.”

“How old are you?”

“Sixteen, last April.”

“Ay! ay! And what can you do, my boy?”

“Almost anything, sir. Mother brought me up to work. Ever since I was seven years old I have sawed and split wood. I like to work, sir, and that made me want to come here; there seems enough to do.”

’Squire Long took out his watch. “Let me see,” he said to himself; “I must be at the bank at ten. I shall be in the city till five. Well, Frederick, you may tell your mother that I will do myself the pleasure of calling on her after tea.”

He took his pen without another word, but smiled when Fred exclaimed, warmly,—

“Thank you, sir;” and then went on with his writing.

Exactly at seven o’clock he drove to the door.

“I told my partners,” he said to the lady, “what I knew of the lad; and, though we don’t really need another hand, yet they gave up to the whims of an old man, who has taken a fancy to a boy that says ‘thank you’ so earnestly. I’ve had my eye on the lad for a good many years; and he may enter the store of Long, Haynes, & Long as soon as he pleases.”

Neither Mrs. Carleton nor her son failed to express their gratitude to the kind old gentleman for acceding so cheerfully to their wishes.

“I know what I’m about,” he answered, laughing; “I believe in God’s promise to the children of those that love him, and keep his commandments. I mean to make Frederick my confidential clerk; and I expect to get the best part of the bargain.”

CHAPTER VIII.

THE GRATEFUL DOG.

MANY people wondered by what piece of good luck so young a boy as Fred Carleton was taken into the most prosperous store in town.

The mother and son did not fail to ascribe it to the over-ruling care of their heavenly Father.

They recognized in this event a new source of gratitude; for they knew he put the kind thought into ’Squire Long’s heart.

Fred entered into his new employment with all the energy of his character, and soon convinced the other partners that he meant to do his part faithfully.

Even here his quick appreciation of kindness and the heartiness with which he said “thank you” for the least favor, won him many friends. The idea of his having gained his present situation, merely by showing his gratitude, caused him to think much on the subject, both of his indebtedness to God and to his Christian parents.

One Sabbath day he and his mother passed all their time out of church in looking up instances in the Bible where gratitude for kindness was shown from man to man; as, for instance, David’s friendship to Jonathan’s family, on account of their former kindness to himself. Also his kindness to Barzillai, in allowing him to live where he pleased, because the old man had provided him food when he lay hid at Mahanaim.

They read the account of Joseph in prison, and the ingratitude of the chief butler, who forgot his promise to plead for Joseph with Pharaoh.

Soon after this time, a packet of letters was received from Captain Carleton, by a schooner the Adolphus had met on her passage out. Curiously enough, Frederick’s letter contained an incident on the very subject which of late had occupied so many of their thoughts.

As I have no doubt it will please my young readers, I shall copy it.