Chapter XV Dan, the Newsboy by Jr. Horatio Alger
Dan Becomes a Detective
Barton & Rogers evidently did business in a large way. They occupied an imposing-looking building of five stories, the greater part being used to store goods. Dan entered and looked around him. A spare, dark-complexioned man of about thirty-five, with a pen behind his ear, was issuing orders to a couple of workmen.
Dan approached him.
“Is Mr. Rogers in?” he asked.
“No, he is not,” said the dark man, curtly.
“Will he be in soon?”
“I don’t know.”
“You might be more civil,” thought our hero.
He stood his ground, feeling authorized to do so because he had come by appointment.
Observing this, the book-keeper turned and said, sharply:
“Didn’t you hear? I said Mr. Rogers was out.”
“I heard you,” said Dan, quietly.
“Then why do you remain? Do you doubt my word?”
“Not at all, sir; but Mr. Rogers asked me to call this morning. I can wait.”
“You can tell me your business.”
“Thank you, but I don’t think that would do.”
The book-keeper eyed him sharply, and his face lighted up with a sudden discovery.
“I know you now,” he said. “You sell papers in front of the Astor House, don’t you?”
“That has been my business.”
“I thought so; I have bought papers of you.”
“Thank you for your patronage.”
“What can you want of Mr. Rogers?”
“Mr. Rogers wants me, I suppose, or he would not have asked me to call,” returned Dan.
“You are a cool hand.”
“Not always,” said Dan, with a smile. “Some hot days I am far from cool.”
“I suppose Mr. Rogers wishes you to supply him with an evening paper?”
“Perhaps he does,” returned Dan, with a smile.
“Confound the fellow! I can’t make anything of him. When did you see Mr. Rogers last?”
“In the supper-room of the Fifth Avenue Hotel.”
“How happened you to be there?” demanded Talbot, the book-keeper, in surprise.
“I was taking supper,” said Dan, rather enjoying the others surprise, “and Mr. Rogers saw me from another table.”
“Humph! Do you often take supper at the Fifth Avenue Hotel?”
“Not often.”
“Selling papers must be very profitable.”
“I’m willing to change places with you.”
Just then Mr. Rogers entered the warehouse.
“Ah! you are here before me, Dan,” he remarked, pleasantly. “Have you been here long?”
“No, sir; only about five minutes.”
“I must keep you waiting a few minutes longer while I look at my letters. The letters have arrived, have they not, Mr. Talbot?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Amuse yourself as you like while you are waiting, Dan,” said the merchant.
Mr. Talbot, the book-keeper, followed the merchant into the counting-room, and Dan was left alone. He looked about him with interest, thinking it probable that this was to be his future business home. It would certainly be a piece of good fortune to become attached to so large and important a house, and he felt in very good spirits, though he foresaw that Mr. Talbot would not make it very pleasant for him. But with his employer on his side he need not be alarmed.
Fifteen minutes passed, and Mr. Rogers emerged from the counting-room.
“I have to go out a few minutes,” he said to Dan. “Come with me, and we can talk on the way.”
“Certainly, sir.”
Mr. Talbot followed the two with a frown upon his brow.
“How on earth has that boy managed to get round Mr. Rogers?” he asked himself. “I hope he won’t be foolish enough to take him in here.”
Talbot had a nephew whom he was anxious to get into the business, and Dan’s engagement would interfere with his little plan. This partly accounts for his brusque reception of Dan on his first arrival.
“Well, how do you like our place of business, Dan?” asked Mr. Rogers.
“Very much, sir.”
“Would you rather sell papers or take employment with me?”
“I should like very much to be in your employ, sir.”
“How much did you earn as a newsboy?”
“When I was lucky I made a dollar a day.”
“Then I ought to give you six dollars a week.”
“I will come for less, sir.”
“I will pay you what I said. It is more than boys generally get at the start, but I am willing to pay a good sum to a boy who suits me.”
“I will try to suit you, sir.”
“Do you know why I take you into my employ?”
“Out of kindness, sir.”
“I feel kindly disposed to you, Dan, but that is not my chief reason.”
Dan was puzzled, and waited to hear more.
“My attention was drawn to you on the ferry-boat. I observed your detection of the mean scamp who cheated a poor flower-girl by offering her bad money, and I inferred that you were sharp and keen.”
“I hope I am, sir.”
“That is the sort of boy I want just now. Did you observe Mr. Talbot, my book-keeper?”
“Yes, sir.”
“What did you think of him?”
Dan smiled.
“I don’t think he admires me much,” he answered. “He wanted to clear me out before you came in.”
“Did he?”
“Yes; he recognized me as a newsboy.”
“I understand his reception of you. He has a nephew whom he wishes me to engage. He is jealous of all possible rivals.”
“Perhaps his nephew would suit you better, sir,” said Dan, modestly.
“Are you willing to resign in his favor?”
“I prefer to leave that to you, sir.”
“You can do so safely. The nephew is a disagreeable boy, who would not suit me at all. He thinks more of dress than of duty, and, if I read him aright, is lazy and incompetent. Nevertheless, Mr. Talbot has spoken to me about taking him.”
“Perhaps he doesn’t know his nephew’s faults.”
“He knows them well enough, but is desirous of promoting his interests. He won’t look upon you very favorably when he learns that I have engaged you.”
“If you are satisfied, I won’t care for that.”
“Well spoken, my lad. And now for a few words in confidence,” and Mr. Rogers lowered his voice. “Our business is a large one, and the sums of money handled are necessarily large. Three months since I ascertained that somewhere in my establishment there was a leak. We are losing money in some unexplained way. I believe that some one in whom I repose confidence is betraying me.”
Dan listened in earnest attention.
“Do you suspect any one, sir?” he asked.
“I suspect Mr. Talbot,” he said, in the same low voice.
Dan started in surprise.
“It seems strange, perhaps, that I should speak so confidentially to you—a mere boy—but I am impressed with the idea that you can help me.”
“If I can, sir, I will,” said Dan, earnestly.
“I don’t doubt it. My first injunction is to say no word, even to your nearest relations, of what I have told you.”
“I won’t, sir.”
“Next, keep a watch over Mr. Talbot. I want to know what are his habits, whether he uses money freely, with whom he associates. Can you, without betraying to him that he is watched, find out some information for me on these points?”
“I will try, sir.”
“If you secure any information, never communicate it to me in the office. Either come to my house, or write me there.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You understand that I am employing you in a detective capacity, and that your time will partly be taken up out of business hours. I intend to pay you extra, according to results. Is that satisfactory?”
“Perfectly so, Mr. Rogers, but I am afraid you will be disappointed in me.”
“I will take my risk of that.”
“Have you any directions to give me, sir, as to how to go to work?”
“No; I am nothing of a detective myself. I leave that to you. I might, of course, employ a professional detective, but Talbot is sharp, and he would suspect. You he will not suspect. He won’t dream of my employing a boy. That is all I have to say for the present. When can you come to work?”
“I can come to-morrow morning. To-day we are going to move.”
“To-morrow let it be, then. Good-morning, Dan.”
Mr. Rogers shook hands with our hero, and walked away.
“I am afraid I have a hard job on my hands,” thought Dan, “but I will do my best.”