“That’s so,” admitted Paul in a tone of deep disappointment.
“How much did you say the debt amounted to?” asked Amesbury.
“Eighteen dollars for each of us,” answered Paul, “but we’ve been here working two months with wages, and that takes off six dollars from each debt, so the first of the month our debts’ll each be down to twelve dollars.”
“Good arithmetic; worked it out right the first time,” Amesbury nodded in approval. “Now if you each pay the old pirate twelve dollars, how much will you owe him and how long can he hold you at the post?”
“Why the debt would be squared and he couldn’t keep us at all.”
“Right again.”
“But we has no money to pay un,” broke in Dan.
“Just leave all that to me,” counseled Amesbury. “I’ll attend to his case.”
“Oh, thank you, Mr. Amesbury,” and Paul grasped the trapper’s hand.
“’Tis wonderful kind of you,” said Dan.