Horatio Alger - In Search of Treasure

“I expect to become a business man.”

“Have you a fair education?”

“Yes, sir; I am prepared to enter Harvard College. I completed my course of preparation last summer.”

“That is well. Now I am going to make you a proposal.”

He paused, and Guy listened eagerly for what was coming.

“It is this,” said the merchant. “I suppose you have nothing to do on the ship.”

“No, sir.”

“I will invite you to work for four weeks in my counting-room. It will be the commencement of your business education. Besides, you will do me a favor, as a young clerk is absent from duty, sick with a fever. What do you say?”

“I will accept gladly, sir.”

“The hours are not wearing. In this warm climate we cannot venture to work as steadily as in England or America.”

“Will it be necessary for me to board in the city?”

“No; it will be better, on the whole, to sleep aboard the vessel, as you might contract a fever on shore, not being acclimated.”

“Very well, sir. When do you wish me to begin?”

“To-morrow morning.”

“All right, sir.”

“As to your compensation, I will give you twenty-five dollars per week.”

“But,” said Guy, astonished, “that is a large salary for a novice like me.”

“You won’t be a novice very long, and I paid that salary to my clerk who is sick.”

“You are very liberal, sir.”

“I have good reason to be.”

When Guy reported his engagement to Captain Grover, that officer congratulated him.

“It is a great thing,” he said, “to have won the favor of a rich merchant like Mr. Saunders. Besides, the knowledge you will obtain of business will be of infinite value to you.”

So Guy went to work the next day.

Of course, everything was new at first, but he had a thorough training as a student, and he set to work to learn business in the same way he had learned Greek, Latin, and mathematics at school. The result was that he made such progress as to surprise Mr. Saunders.

“You have already become of value to me,” the merchant said one day.

“Didn’t you think I would, sir?”

“I thought it would take longer to break you in. You have the making of a very successful business man in you.”

Guy was gratified by this tribute.

“I am pleased to have you say so,” he replied. “I have a special object in wishing to succeed.”

“What is that?”

“My father is a minister, dependent upon a small salary for support. He is now fifty, and there is a movement to oust him from the place. Should that succeed, I want to be able to free him from pecuniary anxiety.”

“That is highly commendable in you.”

A part of the time Guy was employed upon the books of the firm. One day he pointed out an incorrect entry which would have entailed a considerable loss.

“You are sharp,” said the merchant. “Do you know that you have saved me five hundred pounds? Besides, you have opened my eyes. I have reason to think that my former bookkeeper—the one whose place you have taken—was in league with the customer in whose account you have found an error. Our transactions are so large that I should have suspected nothing. Now I shall make an investigation.”

“My predecessor may have been simply careless,” suggested Guy.

“True; but I can’t afford to employ men who are careless.”

“You won’t deprive him of his situation, sir?”

“Not at once, but I shall watch him. For some reason I should like to have you in his place.”

“I should like to be in your employ, but I should not care to be so far away from my father for any length of time.”

“There is another consideration, also. This climate would be dangerous to one unaccustomed to it. No; I have other views for you.”

“I wonder what they are,” thought Guy.

The four weeks rolled quickly away. They might have seemed long to Guy if he had been unemployed, but his duties in the office so occupied his time that the period seemed very short indeed.

One day Captain Grover surprised him by saying: “Well, Guy, the Osprey will start for home next Monday.”

Guy heard the announcement with regret. He had become so interested in his work that he did not like to leave it.

“I suppose you will be ready?”

“Yes, sir.”

Guy notified Mr. Saunders that he should have to leave him.

The merchant looked thoughtful.

“I am sorry for that,” he said. “Your predecessor—the man whose place you are taking—is not yet well.”

“I am sorry if I inconvenience you, Mr. Saunders.”

“You are specially anxious to return on the Osprey?”

“If I don’t, I know of no other way of getting home.”

“You can get home quicker by way of London and Liverpool.”

“But that would cost considerable money.”

“That is true. Of course, if I detain you here I shall undertake to send you home free of expense to yourself. Perhaps, however, that may not be a matter of so much importance to you.”

Guy looked puzzled.

“You would travel by steamer to Liverpool, and from there to New York or Boston, also by steamer.”

“It would enable me to see more of the world, but it would cost you a good deal of money.”

“Yes; but I have not yet told you that I may have some business for you to attend to for me in England.”

“That would alter the case, sir. If you have confidence enough in me to employ me in that way, I shall be very glad to do what I can for you.”

“Then there is another matter. I have not yet spoken to you about the pirates’ treasure.”

“No, sir.”

“I have thought over the story you told me, and I will tell you the decision to which I have come. I think there is a faint chance of the story being true.”

Guy brightened up at this admission, for he had great faith in Mr. Saunders’ judgment.

“Of course, it will cost money to obtain it, even if it exists, for I see no other way than to fit out a special expedition.”

“Yes, sir,” returned Guy, soberly, for he believed this would destroy all chance of his ever obtaining the treasure.

“As to the prospect of influencing anyone with capital to go on such a quest, I am afraid it is not bright.”

“I suppose I may as well give it up, then?”

“Not necessarily. The time may come when I can myself undertake it. Meanwhile, as it may be a good while, you will be left in suspense and poverty.”

“Still, if I thought the time would ever come when you would be willing to take hold of it, I would be content to wait.”

“Then suppose you have a copy made of your uncle’s letter, and also of the one in which directions are given as to the island and the place of concealment. The original papers you can keep, and leave the copies with me.”

“I will do so, sir.”

“You repose a good deal of confidence in me. Suppose I fit out the expedition, secure the treasure, and cheat you out of your share of it?”

“I have no fear,” replied Guy. “I have perfect confidence in you.”

“You shall not regret that confidence. I will see that you derive some immediate benefit from this treasure to which you have fallen heir. I propose that, as the expense of fitting out the expedition will be mine, I shall have a right to claim one-half the treasure.”

“I agree to that, sir.”

“And I furthermore agree to pay over to you at once one thousand pounds, to be repaid to me out of your share of the treasure when it is found.”

“But it may never be found!”

“That will be my lookout.”

“And I shall be worth a thousand pounds—five thousand dollars!” said Guy.

“Exactly so.”

“I can hardly believe it.”