Digging for Gold

" ejaculated Mr. Tar

ent to Crestville for-and he tells me there'

I s'pose," said

the plains, if tha

to get the money? It

rrangements ab

goin' to supply

glad that this idea had occurred 67to his step-father, as h

l let you go," went

stop me?" demanded Grant

ur step

ou're not m

turn the expedition to his own advantage. Should Grant bring back a good sum of money, he mea

ox, it wouldn

d really think yo

re's piles o

th Tarbox, an expression of

t's what

I ain't sure but I'd go m

little too

money and bring it all home. We'll be glad to see

ou, Mr.

ox were opposed to his going, he meant to go all the same

ry Cooper, as everybody called him, and his son Tom, and ascer

at work in his yard when Grant came up. Grant

spoken to you ab

that wants to go to

s,

and it," said the blacksmith, surveying critic

city dude. I've always bee

ood deal of hard work in

ink it will take to

four

a good chance to

be fifty years old you won't care much about s

practical," said

ore of the country than we car

ere may be a railroad

er shook

't pay. You're a boy, and by the time you get to be

xpect to start

day. Can yo

uch is it going to cost me, Mr. Cooper?" he added. "If you will tell me, I

y in more supplies. We'll say seventy-five dollars; an

ow if you will give me a paper acknowle

you say

eiving back a receipt. This he put into his pocket with a 71sense of satisfaction. He felt that now the die

g with an affected step and swinging his cane. He had an idea that he

n Grant, he started

o be over here, Gran

business," a

n errand for my gra

on busines

ched his

ess of your own?" he s

es

t is

ou would feel in

ieve you 72have any business h

nce to me what you think

have come over here to get rid of work. If I were gra

ate, as usual, Rodney. However,

t's

n the employ of y

ou are a

ut am so

? Has grandfather

. I don't expect to work for

o do? Do you expect t

rk harder next year

" said Rodney, puzzled. "A

N

at do yo

Thursday for

was sur

mean-it!" h

s tr

you goi

ry Cooper

n't go with

t's

haven't

stake. I hav

did you

my bus

you up

od. He told me he thought I w

he was fool enough t

looked at Grant with envy and dislike. With the amiable 74desire to depres

, but I don't

wood's house, with the view of ascertaining whether he ha

ood," Rodney began, "to lend Grant

looked up f

d supplied him wit

, no

do you s

y somewhere, so I conclude

. He never asked me to le

ad?" repeated

a hardworking boy and a 75good fellow, and I think he'll b

to have him go. He's been suppor

work hard in California, but he'll be paid for it. I

ght the prediction ridiculous, and hope