“All right. Now, another thing. After the first of next month you do nothing but sell, Tom. We’ll get someone to look after the windows and sweep up. Of course you’ll help Joe in the packing room, just as now, but you’ll be a salesman instead of a--well, general utility man!” “I--I’d like that, sir,” said Tom. “Of course you would. You’ll have the sporting goods under your management, son, and we’ll see if we can’t make them pay. Of course we expect to make you a small raise, Tom. I haven’t talked that over with Mr. Wright yet, but I’ll let you know in a few days. We can’t increase your wages much just yet, but if you make good we’ll be fair with you.” “Thank you, Mr. Cummings. I--I’ll do my best.” “That’s right. Do your best, Tom, and you’ll get on. It’s the boy who does his best all the time that won’t stay down, son. Just as it’s the fellow who tries to get along by giving his employers as little as possible who never moves up. Remember that. Now you get busy and get your orders in. You can have two sections of shelves on the left of the door down there for your goods, and the cases in front. If you have to have more space, I guess we can find it. There’s a lot of that builders’ hardware that would be better placed back here, I guess. Well, that’s all. Let me hear what you learn and keep me posted as to how things are going. But don’t bother me with questions, son. This is your affair. Make it go.” CHAPTER VIII AN OUT-CURVE The new department started up the last week in March, and none too soon. It had been a hard, cold winter, but its very severity seemed to wear it out along toward the first of that month and a succession of spring-like days turned boys’ thoughts toward baseball. The advertisement had appeared in the March issue of the _Brown-and-Blue_ and the daily papers had made announcement of the fact that Cummings and Wright had installed the most thorough, up-to-date sporting goods department to be found in the state. This was perhaps an exaggeration, but advertisements are prone to exaggerate. It was a pretty thoroughly stocked department, though. Tom had been both surprised and a little alarmed when the catalogues from dealers and manufacturers had reached him. There were so many, many more things to be purchased than he had dreamed of! He had begun a list and then stopped appalled by the magnitude of the order and the size of the total cost, and had gone to Mr. Cummings in perturbation. “How much? Over four hundred dollars?” asked Mr. Cummings. “Can we sell the things if we get them?” “Why, yes, sir; I hope so. I think so. I don’t see why----” “Then get them.”