He was to step up another much sooner than he dreamed possible. For a few days later his big friend Sheridan came swinging into the office, this time dressed in his best, and looking very handsome. He smiled at Willie, but said nothing until he reached the inner office. Then he said, “I’ve come to borrow an office boy.” Willie pricked up his ears. “I’m sorry,” said the Special Agent, “but I have only one, and he’s too valuable to lend. Can I help you in any other way?” “If I can’t borrow him,” said Sheridan, “I’ll have to buy him. We’ve simply got to have him. There’s a counterfeiting case afoot and we are in great need of an intelligent boy to help trail some men we’re watching. We can’t use a man for this particular job. We must have a boy. There’s nobody else we know that will answer so well as your office boy for the job.” The big detective turned to Willie. “The Chief of the Secret Service,” he said, “has a job for you that you’ll like.” Willie’s eyes glistened. “What is it?” he asked. “You’ll be rated as a clerk,” said Sheridan, “but you’ll really be doing Secret Service. The position will lead, when you are a little older and more experienced, to a full appointment as a Secret Service agent.” “Then I’ll take it,” said Willie, without a moment’s hesitation. “But, by George! I hate to leave Mr. King.” “And Mr. King hates to have you go,” said the Special Agent. “But I won’t try to prevent it. I know your ambition. I know you’ll succeed. But I do wish you would stay in this department. It would lead to all the secret service you could want as a special treasury agent.” “I’m sorry, Mr. King,” said Willie. “I hate to leave you. I like my work here immensely. But I started out to get into the Secret Service proper and this is my chance. I’ll have to take it.” “And I,” groaned Mr. King, “will have to start in with a new office boy. Oh! Lord!” When Willie was free that evening, he raced over to the Confederated Steamship piers and rushed aboard the _Lycoming_. He found Roy and Mr. Robbins chatting in the purser’s office. “I came to get you both to go to dinner with me,” he said. “It’s my treat. I’m celebrating. I’ve got a new job. And it isn’t as an office boy.” THE END End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Young Wireless Operator--With the U. S. Secret Service, by Lewis E. Theiss