"As soon as ye can git ready—but howld on! How much do ye mean to charge for a little row like that?"
"A little row!" repeated the old man scornfully. "Do you want me to bring you back?"
"Begorrah! I niver thought of that; I haven't made up me mind, and ye haven't answered my respictful question."
The other chewed vigorously, spat and finally said:
"It's worth twenty-five cents to take you 'cross and fifteen more to bring you back."
Mike was astonished. Although his funds were running low, his natural generosity would not be denied.
"I will pay ye half a dollar to row me over and if ye bring me back it will be another fifty cints—but I'm not certain as to me coming back."
The trip might prove a failure. In fact the more Mike pondered the more probable seemed such a result. At the wharf a wise precaution occurred to him.
"Being as there's no saying whin I return, it will be wise for me to take along a snack of food. So bide ye here till I procure the same."
He hurried to the nearest grocery store where he bought a couple of sandwiches and was back in a few minutes.