“Hain’t the banks run so’s they kin lend money to folks?” he says.
“Not that I know about personal,” says Mr. Atkins. “None of ’em ever offered to lend to me.”
“This here is an honest business,” says Catty, “and we kin pay for that lumber as soon as we git it built into the house. Seems like we deserve to have folks trust us on a deal like this. Maybe it’s because the lumber company don’t know about it. Captain Winton, at the bank, will know all about it. I’m going to see him.”
“No use,” says Jack.
“All right. I’m goin’ just the same. Come on, Wee-wee.”
I started out with him, leaving Jack and Mr. Atkins behind. Jack was gloomy, but Mr. Atkins was kind of cheerful, because it was one of his days when he wanted to wander, and I guess he figured if this contract didn’t go through, why, he could go back to being shiftless again. Catty and me we walked up the street and turned into the bank. He rapped on Captain Winton’s door and the captain called to come in. We went.
“Well?” says the captain, looking at us kind of impatient.
“We come to borrow some money, if you want to lend it to us.”
“How much?” says the captain, and he put his hand in his pocket like he was going after a dime.
“Right off we need eleven hundred dollars,” says Catty.