“There’s ways of makin’ m-m-money—of makin’ a lot of it at once. That’s what I’ve been figgerin’ on. If we could just pay off Skip I believe this business will go along. I don’t b-believe two businesses like his and ours can make a living in Wicksville. But I do b-believe we’ll be the one that’s left. He can’t afford to keep on, and we can’t afford to quit. And there you are.”
“Then,” I says, sarcastic-like, “all we got to do is raise three hundred dollars in six or eight days.”
He squinted at me, but didn’t say anything.
“We’ve been tryin’ to raise that money for five weeks,” I says. “Five weeks! And what have we got to show for it? Two hundred dollars! That’s how much. Just git out your pencil and figger it up: if it takes four boys five weeks to raise two hundred dollars, what chance have they got to raise three hundred in one week?”
Then we went home.
Sunday, just before dinner—I was invited over to Mark’s for dinner that day—Zadok Biggs came driving his peddler’s wagon into the yard. We could hear him coming for a block, his tin dishes rattling and his whistle going. “Marching Through Georgia” was what he whistled, and you should hear the way he can rip it out. There are trills and runs and wiggles and bird-calls and all sorts of things. I expect he’s the best whistler in Michigan.
He sat on the seat looking down as important as a brand-new poll-parrot and didn’t say a word for a minute. Then he put his hand on his hip and stuck out his chest and says:
“Opportunity. Have you heard Zadok Biggs mention that word before? Eh? I believe I have mentioned it. I am sure I have pronounced it in your hearing. Have I not?”
“You have,” says I.
“Zadok Biggs has been thinking of you—of all four of you boys engaged in the mercantile enterprise—business is the more usual expression—of running Smalley’s Bazar. I have thought of you often. I have asked myself if I could be of assistance to you. I have looked about me to discover an opportunity to offer you.” He drew himself up again and cocked his head as if he’d done something to be mighty proud of. “It was not in vain, says I. I looked—and I saw. I come to-day bringing you an opportunity. What have you to say to that? An opportunity. I bring it to-day.”