“Tom,” replied Mr. Cummings, “at the risk of giving you what you youngsters call a swelled head, I’m going to tell you that in the four or five hours you are here you do about as much work as a good many clerks in this town do all day. Besides, we’re paying you, partly, for that sporting-goods idea of yours. It was a mighty good idea and it made money for us, and I guess it’s going to make more. Besides that, son, you want to remember that summer is coming after awhile and that summer is a pretty busy season with us. Then you’ll be here all day and you can make up any time you think you may be owing us.” “Well, it’s awfully good of you,” said Tom gratefully. “And I guess you’d better keep out a dollar now instead of fifty cents toward that pump. I won’t need the whole five dollars,” he added in rather awed tones. Five dollars a week seemed a veritable fortune to him just then, for of late his resources had been getting smaller and smaller and he had begun to wonder if he would ever get through the spring. Meanwhile, he had made many acquaintances and some friends. At high school he was a person of prominence. The older boys admired his pluck and industry and liked him for his quiet, contained manner, his cheerfulness, and his unfailing good-nature. The younger chaps frankly envied him because he was at home amongst such a raft of captivating things; bats and balls and mitts and rackets and running shoes and all the objects coveted by a small boy--and many a large one. Besides Tom himself, and, naturally, the partners in the firm, I think the person who took the most interest in the sporting goods department of Cummings and Wright’s was Sidney Morris. Sidney had watched and advised and even helped unpack the goods and arrange them on the shelves and in the cases, and all the time had been filled with a fine enthusiasm and optimism. Sidney jeered at the idea of failure and bewailed the fate that kept him from taking his place beside Tom behind the counter. “I’ll just bet anything I could sell goods,” he declared enviously. “Do you suppose Mr. Cummings would give me a place this summer, Tom?” “Why, you’ll be going to the Lakes,” said Tom. “You told me just the other day that you would.” Sidney scowled. “I won’t if I can get out of it,” he said. “I’d a heap rather stay here in town and help you. I wonder if Dad would let me!”