"I shall have it out with Matteo here, or else go for a soldier to-morrow," answered Gooster, in his lethargic tone.
"Well, go for a soldier, then."
"It don't make much difference to me which I do," Gooster went on, as if only half awake. "If I go for a soldier, I shall have to get to Florence somehow, I suppose; I shall have to have ten francs for the railroad."
"Is it ten exactly?" said Prudence. Her mind flew to her work-box, which held just that sum.
"It's ten."
"Haven't you got any money at all, Gooster?" She meant to help him on his way; but she thought that she should like to keep, if possible, a nest-egg to begin with again—say twenty cents, or ten.
Gooster felt in his pockets. "Three soldi," he replied, producing some copper coins and counting them over.
"And there's nothing due you at the per-dairy?"