“Not ontil you pay me,” returned Elijah. “I ain’t trustin’ nobody this year.”
“You old Shylock!” grumbled Talbot. “I’ve only got five cents, and I want that for car-fare.”
“I’ll lend you a quarter,” proposed Hardie, eagerly.
“Thanks. He’s more generous than you are, ’Lijah. He’ll lend me a quarter, and you won’t trust me for a towel.”
“He’s new here,” answered Elijah, solemnly, as he handed over the clean towel and pocketed the quarter. “If he’d lost as much by you fellows as I have, he wouldn’t lend you a cent.”
“That pays for a week, now, Lije,” urged Talbot. “Don’t forget!”
“I never forgets. It’s you that forgets;” and the janitor went forth to seek other business opportunities.
“A good fellow Lije is, but he’s too avaricious,” commented Talbot, hurrying for the shower.