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_THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES._


DESK AND DEBIT;
OR,
THE CATASTROPHES OF A CLERK.



By

OLIVER OPTIC,

AUTHOR OF "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD," "THE ARMY AND NAVY STORIES,"
"THE WOODVILLE STORIES," "THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES," "THE
STARRY FLAG SERIES," "THE LAKE-SHORE SERIES," ETC.


WITH FOURTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS.



BOSTON:
LEE AND SHEPARD, PUBLISHERS.
NEW YORK:
LEE, SHEPARD AND DILLINGHAM.
1871.

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871,
By WILLIAM T. ADAMS,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

ELECTROTYPED AT THE
BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY,
10 Spring Lane.




TO THE MEMORY OF

MY GOOD-NATURED AND VERSATILE YOUNG FRIEND

_EDWIN A. FARWELL_,

WHO, SINCE THIS BOOK WAS WRITTEN, HAS PASSED AWAY FROM
THE SCENES OF EARTH, LOVED AND RESPECTED
BY ALL WHO KNEW HIM,

THIS BOOK

IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED.




THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES.

1. _Field and Forest_; OR, THE FORTUNES OF A FARMER.

2. _Plane and Plank_; OR, THE MISHAPS OF A MECHANIC.

3. _Desk and Debit_; OR, THE CATASTROPHES OF A CLERK.


_IN PREPARATION_:

4. _Cringle and Cross-Tree_; OR, THE SEA SWASHES OF A SAILOR.

5. _Bivouac and Battle_; OR, THE STRUGGLES OF A SOLDIER.

6. _Sea and Shore_; OR, THE TRAMPS OF A TRAVELLER.




PREFACE.


"DESK AND DEBIT" is the third of "THE UPWARD AND ONWARD SERIES," in
which Phil Farringford appears as a clerk. The principal events of the
story are located in Chicago and on Lake Michigan--the latter, perhaps,
because the author finds it quite impossible to write a story without a
boat, which also involves the necessity of a broad sheet of water, or a
long river. In this, as in its predecessors, evil-minded characters are
introduced, to show the contrast between vice and virtue; but the hero,
in whom the sympathies of the reader are supposed to be centred, is
still faithful to his Christian duties, still reads his Bible, and
"prays without ceasing."

Young and old are injured only by the precept and example of those whom
they love, respect, or admire; and the writer has no fear that his
readers will love, respect, or admire Charles Whippleton or Ben
Waterford, or that they will fail to condemn their errors and their
vices. The author hopes and expects that his young friends, while they
follow Phil in his exciting experience in the counting-room, and in the
"Marian" on Lake Michigan, will love and respect his virtues as well as
his courage and resolution.

HARRISON SQUARE, BOSTON,

June 7, 1870.




CONTENTS.


                                                                 PAGE

CHAPTER I.
    IN WHICH PHIL HAS A TALK WITH HIS FATHER, AND REVIEWS
    HIS PAST HISTORY.                                              11

CHAPTER II.
    IN WHICH PHIL STARTS FOR CHICAGO, AND HEARS A FAMILIAR
    NAME.                                                          22

CHAPTER III.
    IN WHICH PHIL MAKES THE ACQUAINTANCE OF MRS. WHIPPLETON.       33

CHAPTER IV.
    IN WHICH PHIL IS CHIVALROUS, BUT HAS HIS EYES OPENED.          44

CHAPTER V.
    IN WHICH PHIL TAKES A ROOM AT MRS. WHIPPLETON'S
    BOARDING-HOUSE.                                                56

CHAPTER VI.
    IN WHICH PHIL IS ENGAGED AS ENTRY CLERK FOR COLLINGSBY
    AND WHIPPLETON.                                                67

CHAPTER VII.
    IN WHICH PHIL TAKES HIS PLACE AT THE DESK, AND IS ENGAGED
    FOR A YEAR.                                                    79

CHAPTER VIII.
    IN WHICH PHIL TAKES A SAIL ON THE LAKE WITH MR. WHIPPLETON.    90

CHAPTER IX.
    IN WHICH PHIL ATTEMPTS TO MAKE OUT A TRIAL BALANCE.           102

CHAPTER X.
    IN WHICH PHIL IS PERPLEXED ABOUT CERTAIN INVOICES.            113

CHAPTER XI.
    IN WHICH PHIL TAKES CHARGE OF MRS. WHIPPLETON'S EARTHLY
    TREASURE.                                                     124

CHAPTER XII.
    IN WHICH PHIL VISITS THE HOUSE OF MR. COLLINGSBY, AND SEES
    MISS MARIAN.                                                  135

CHAPTER XIII.
    IN WHICH PHIL LOOKS INTO THE OPERATIONS OF THE JUNIOR
    PARTNER.                                                      146

CHAPTER XIV.
    IN WHICH PHIL MEETS WITH A SERIOUS CATASTROPHE.               158

CHAPTER XV.
    IN WHICH PHIL GOES TO WORK IN THE COOK-ROOM OF THE MARIAN.    170

CHAPTER XVI.
    IN WHICH PHIL PROMISES NOT TO DESERT MISS COLLINGSBY.         182

CHAPTER XVII.
    IN WHICH PHIL PUTS A CHECK ON THE OPERATIONS OF MR. BEN
    WATERFORD.                                                    194

CHAPTER XVIII.
    IN WHICH PHIL PROTESTS WITH THE BOAT-HOOK, BUT IS PROTESTED.  205

CHAPTER XIX.
    IN WHICH PHIL PROFITS BY CIRCUMSTANCES, AND WEIGHS ANCHOR
    IN THE MARIAN.                                                218

CHAPTER XX.
    IN WHICH PHIL SAILS THE MARIAN ACROSS LAKE MICHIGAN.          229

CHAPTER XXI.
    IN WHICH PHIL ANSWERS SOME INQUIRIES ABOUT THE FAWN, AND
    OTHER MATTERS.                                                241

CHAPTER XXII.
    IN WHICH PHIL IS BEWILDERED, AND THE MARIAN SAILS FOR
    CHICAGO.                                                      252

CHAPTER XXIII.
    IN WHICH PHIL, IN THE MARIAN, GETS THE WEATHER-GAGE OF
    THE FLORINA.                                                  264

CHAPTER XXIV.
    IN WHICH PHIL GOES TO SLEEP, AND HIS SEVEREST CATASTROPHE
    COMES.                                                        275

CHAPTER XXV.
    IN WHICH PHIL SUFFERS MUCH PAIN, AND MARIAN IS VERY
    RESOLUTE.                                                     287

CHAPTER XXVI.
    IN WHICH PHIL FINDS THE TABLES TURNED, AND THE MARIAN RUNS
    INTO CHICAGO RIVER.                                           298

CHAPTER XXVII.
    IN WHICH PHIL VISITS MR. COLLINGS