CHAPTER XVII.—­Promotion.

“I, think there must be something wrong about your rowing,”

“My rowing!” cried I; “nonsense!—­it’s because you don’t steer right.”

“I remember, when I was a young man, I once took a fancy to rowing,” said Mr. Crobble one day to me.  “I wasn’t then quite so round as I am at present.  Cousin Tom and I hired a wherry, but somehow we found we didn’t make much way.  Tom was steering, and I took the sculls, sitting my back to him like a gaby!”

“I, think there must be something wrong about your rowing,” said Tom.

“My rowing!” cried I; “nonsense!—­it’s because you don’t steer right.  Well, at last a waterman came alongside, and grinning (the fellow couldn’t help it) good-naturedly, pointed out the cause of our dilemma; at which we both laughed heartily.  Ever since that time I’ve been of opinion, that unless people, ‘who row in the same boat,’ understand each other, they’ll never get along—­”

I smiled at this lengthy prologue, not conceiving to what it could possibly lead.

“Now, Mr. Andrew,” resumed he, “I mean to be very industrious, and devote a whole day to giving you an insight into the business; after which I expect you’ll pull away, while I only steer, which will suit me to a T—­, you understand.”

“Exactly, sir,” I replied; and, in consequence, he really set about the task; and I soon acquired sufficient knowledge in the business, as not only to row in the same boat with him, but, what was still more agreeable to my patron’s indolence, to manage the “craft” without his assistance.

Six months after the departure of Monsieur Dubois, he sent a remittance, with interest on the amount, advanced by Mr. Crobble, with a long epistle to me, stating, that he had entered into partnership with his elder brother, and commenced the business of a banker, under the firm of “Dubois Freres,” at the same time informing me that they were already doing a large stroke of business, and wanted an agent in London, requesting me to inform him if it would be agreeable to Mr. Crobble for them to draw upon his respectable house.

I saw at once the advantages of this correspondence, and so warmly solicited Mr. Crobble to accede, that he at last consented, provided I undertook the whole management of the affair.

The English were now daily flocking to Paris, and the money required for their lavish expenditure in the gay capital of France compelled their application to the bankers.

Messrs. Dubois Freres had their share of this lucrative business, and, as their agents in London, we necessarily became participators in their large transactions.

In three months these operations had increased so enormously, and the profits were so considerable, that Mr. Crobble not only advanced my salary, but consented to engage the assistance of two junior clerks.  I was now a man of some consideration.  I was the senior clerk of the establishment, although the youngest of the three.