At precisely eight o’clock on a warm June evening a long line of boys walked sedately into Martin Hall and marching to the front to the inspiring strains of “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” played by the store orchestra, filed into the rows of seats ribboned off in white which had been reserved for them. There was a buzz of expectation from an audience which packed the hall. A bell tinkled. Then the great curtain rose, disclosing a palm-decorated stage. There was a sudden hush. Then a slender, blue-eyed lad walked serenely out on the stage, as though utterly unconscious of the sea of upturned faces directed toward him. The boy was Harry Harding. He had come before this large and interested assemblage to deliver the welcome address.

“Dear friends,” he began in a clear, earnest voice that carried to every part of the crowded room, “we are here to-night to do honor to the man who has proved, and is proving every day, his interest in the welfare of the messenger boys of Martin Brothers’ store. To Mr. Edward Martin we owe our lasting thanks in that he has given us not only a chance to become useful business men, but to attain an education as well. Many of us have been obliged to leave the public schools in order to help those at home who need our assistance. It is a wonderful thing for us to be able to go on with our school work and earn money as well. We are glad to welcome you here to-night because we wish you to know that we appreciate the splendid opportunities that have been given us. We have tried earnestly to make the most of our good fortune and we shall continue to try to prove ourselves worthy in every respect of our privileges. We are young, and we must pass through many trials and experiences before we become men. But surely, with the help and guidance of those whose effort is given to directing and moulding of our character, we must finally become useful, thoughtful men, striving only to reach the highest and hold it fast.

“In the name of Martin Brothers and the boys of their store messenger service, we extend you our heartiest welcome and thank you for your attendance to-night.”

Ungrudging applause burst forth as Harry Harding bowed. As he was about to leave the stage the leader of the orchestra reached up and handed him an immense bouquet of pink roses. This time Teddy had taken up a collection, and honors were even.

There was more applause, and Harry retired, considerably more confused than when he had stepped forth to make his speech, while a brown-haired, happy-faced woman in the audience wiped tears of sheer joy from her loving eyes at the triumph of her boy.

The exercises proceeded with a smoothness that was a supreme satisfaction to Mr. Keene, Mr. Marsh, Miss Verne and all those who had helped make the occasion one long to be remembered by those present. The graduates were at last called to the stage and presented one by one with the diplomas that marked the end of their course in the day school. To all of them it meant an increase of salary, promotion in the store, and night school during the coming year.

At last it was over and the audience had dispersed in leisurely fashion. Two radiant-faced boys made their way to where two proud mothers awaited them. Teddy’s mother had equal reason to be proud of her son, whose sweet voice had added much to make the entertainment memorable.

“Here, Mother, you must carry my roses,” laughed Harry, handing the huge bouquet of fragrant flowers into his mother’s keeping.

“Oh, Harry, dear, Mother is so proud of her boy,” the little woman whispered as they walked arm in arm to the street corner to wait for their car. Teddy and his mother were just behind them.

“I guess we won’t walk home to-night, Harry,” grinned the irrepressible Teddy. “We deserve to ride home for once. We’re some folks. My, but I’m glad you won the prize. I felt the shivers go up and down my back when you made the address. It was a welcome one, all right.”

“It wasn’t half so welcome as the money. Isn’t it splendid, Ted, to think that we are all going on that vacation together?”

The Burkes and the Hardings had arranged to rent a bungalow in the suburbs for two weeks. By joining forces Harry’s twenty dollars would be sufficient to pay his and his mother’s share of the expenses. The boys’ vacation was to begin the following week. As the store was to be closed on Saturday they would not return to work until after their vacation.

“I can never be thankful enough that we went together to Martin Brothers that day to look for work,” returned Harry; his eyes were bright with the memory of that never-to-be-forgotten morning when he and Teddy Burke had joined forces.

“You can’t be any gladder than I am,” was Teddy’s serious answer. “It looks as though you and I were going to be business men for sure, doesn’t it?”

“We’ll get there after a while, I hope. It won’t be long until we’re salesmen.”

“And after that we’ll be buyers,” declared Teddy eagerly. “Perhaps we’ll own a store like Martin Brothers’ some day, Harry.”

“Perhaps we will. At least, we’ve started on the long road to business and success, and it rests with us to keep in the middle of it. There’s a lot of hard work ahead of us.”

“I’m not afraid of hard work,” boasted Teddy. “Just watch me wade into it when I come back from my vacation.”

“I won’t have time,” retorted Harry, laughing. “I’ll be too busy myself.”

“My boy, I was very proud of you to-night!” a deep voice sounded at Harry’s elbow, causing him to turn quickly. His color rose as he recognized the pleasant tones of Mr. Rexford. He had scanned the audience anxiously during the evening, wondering if the man to whom he owed so much had been present at the exercises. He could not know that Mr. Rexford had learned beforehand from Mr. Keene that he, Harry Harding, had been chosen for the honor of delivering the welcome address. The book-buyer had lingered in the hall just long enough to hear the boy’s earnest little speech, then retired to his office to write letters. The task had taken him longer than he had expected, and he had left the store just in time to encounter the little group standing on the corner.

“Oh, Mr. Rexford! I’m so glad you happened to come this way!” cried Harry, extending his hand to meet that of his employer. “I tried to see you this afternoon to say good-bye, but couldn’t find you. I looked for you in the audience to-night, too, but I didn’t see you. This is my mother, and Mrs. Burke, and my chum, Theodore Burke.” Harry welcomed the opportunity of presenting his dear ones to the man he so greatly respected and admired.

“Allow me to congratulate you on your son, Mrs. Harding,” were Mr. Rexford’s first words after acknowledging the introduction.

“Thank you, Mr. Rexford.” Mrs. Harding’s brown eyes shone in appreciation of this praise of her boy. Although Harry still kept the secret of those dark days, long since passed, locked in his heart, she had daily heard him voice his gratitude for Mr. Rexford’s interest in him. “I must thank you, also, for your goodness to Harry,” she added.

“I consider myself fortunate in having him in my department. I wish he were my son,” smiled the buyer. Then he bade them a kindly good night and walked on, leaving a happy-faced quartette behind him.

“Here’s our car,” called Teddy. “Come on, Mother. Good-bye, Martin Brothers. I’ll see you after vacation.” He waved his hand at the huge building which had sheltered and schooled the two boys and which held the promise of a future for them both far greater than they could then dream or know.

Yet Harry and Teddy knew only too well that in order to become successful business men they must, as boys, lay a sure foundation on which to build their careers. They must be ready to greet each day with a smile and live it for all it was worth. To do the little things cheerfully and well, in the hope of greater things to come was to be their watchword. The story of their return to Martin Brothers’ store after their hard-earned vacation, and what befell them on the field of duty, remains yet to be told.

Those who have followed the two lads through their first year as business boys will meet them once more and learn just what happened to them next in the second volume of this series, “Harry Harding’s Year of Promise.”

THE END