“There are no such things as peace and pleasure for the unfortunate fellow who makes his bread and butter by clerking in a dry-goods store,” continued Gus, spitefully banging a bolt of calico down upon the counter. “Everybody is happy except me. Other boys are out behind their fast horses having a good time, and here I am shut up in this miserable old store, and have been ever since seven o’clock this morning. This thing is getting to be a little too monotonous, the first thing you know, and I am not going to put up with it much longer. If I had money, I wouldn’t stay in this city twenty-four hours longer. Great Cæsar!” Gus brought his soliloquy to a sudden close, and the bolt of calico he had picked up to place upon the shelf dropped from his hands. While he was talking to himself he kept his gaze directed toward the street, and saw a red-faced man pass one of the windows and turn toward the door. As he laid his hand upon the knob, somebody in the street accosted him, and the red-faced man turned about and entered into conversation with him. Gus looked at him for a moment, and then ran his eyes hastily around the store as if he were looking for some way of escape. “He’ll be in here in a second more,” said he, to himself, “and how shall I put him off? I’ve told him so many lies that I shall have to get a fresh stock on hand before I can tell him any more.” The expression that rested on the boy’s face during the next half-minute, seemed to indicate that he was revolving a very perplexing problem in his mind. Suddenly he brightened up and with another glance at the door, passed rapidly around the counter, and crossed over to the other side of the store, where another clerk was at work folding up some goods. “I say, Sam,” exclaimed Gus, in a hurried whisper; “will you add another to the long list of favors you have done me?” “Well, I don’t know,” replied Sam, hesitatingly. “Depends upon what it is. If you want to borrow any more——” “I don’t,” interrupted Gus. “But Meyers is coming after what I owe him, and there he is now. Tell him that I have gone out and shan’t be back for a week. If you will do that much for me I will repay you——” Gus did not have time to say how or when he would repay Sam, for at this moment the red-faced man turned half around and placed his hand on the door-knob. Gus quickly ducked his head and stole along behind the counter toward the back part of the store, until he came to a door opening into the warehouse. He straightened up when he reached this place of refuge, and just as he did so the opening and closing of the front door told him that Mr. Meyers, the Jew who kept the little cigar and tobacco stand around the corner, had entered on one of his regular weekly dunning visits.