“Well, sir,” said the youth, sharply, “will you tell me what there is so very funny about that?”
“Oh, it ain’t funny at all!” said the big man. “It’s just thunderin’ ridiculous! I s’pose you’d be satisfied with a salary of ten thousand dollars a year?”
“Oh, I might be willing to accept that,” dryly answered the youth.
“I s’pose likely. What d’yer know?”
“About what?”
“Runnin’ a railroad.”
“Nothing. I am not here to run the railroad, but to work for the men who do run it.”
“Well, you’ve got ter know somethin’ in order ter be fit fer somethin’.”
“I might be able to learn something in time.”
“No; I’m afraid not. You’d have ter begin at the wrong end. You’ve made a mistake. This ain’t no candy store. We don’t sell dry goods here, either. You’d look pretty measurin’ off ribbon for ladies, an’ that’s about all you’d be good for.”