
A fast‑talking drifter with a talent for turning any chance into a gig walks into the towering Octopus Building, hoping to snag a spot at the mysterious Glory Be Mining Company. The lobby buzzes with a ragtag crew of eager hopefuls, each shouting nicknames and swapping jibes while the narrator sidles past a hair‑tangled typist and a lanky clerk with an “ostrich‑neck.” When he finally meets the impeccably dressed Mr. Belmont Pepper, the boss’s cool demeanor and cigar‑smoke aura set the tone for a workplace that feels part circus, part corporate intrigue.
Undeterred by the chaos, he boldly declares his claim, pulling a “Boy Wanted” sign off the wall and urging the crowd to clear the way. The sudden rush of workers, the bewildered office staff, and Pepper’s amused reprimand create a tense yet comic standoff that hints at deeper power struggles hidden behind the polished veneer. Listeners are invited to follow his razor‑sharp wit as he navigates office politics, unexpected allies, and the quirky underbelly of a company that seems to run on its own strange rules.
Language
en
Duration
~6 hours (367K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2007-02-19
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1868–1946
Best remembered for the lively "Torchy" and "Shorty McCabe" stories, this American writer built a large popular readership with brisk, humorous fiction. His work moved easily between magazine entertainment and longer novels, giving early-20th-century readers plenty of wit and energy.
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