“Some day, my lad, you are going to be a doctor, and I want the pleasure of paying you your first fee.”
The suggestion was ignored, and Marvin put the money back in his pocket.
“Business is business, Little Pine. Remember that you owe the Humming-Bird thirty dollars.”
“Me owe her thirty dollars?”
“Yes, for lessons in English. Of course she wouldn’t charge you a cent, but even an Indian ought to be infinitely honest.”
“Bien, I pay her!”
“That’s the right spirit. So I shall buy thirty dollars’ worth of provisions and give them to you for saving my life. You will then give the provisions to her. I want you to write her a little note saying that you are bringing her some wood oil in a bottle, and some bacon, and a white sweater, and a few other things. Do you understand?”
“I unders’and.”
“Very good. Put your hand in my pocket and take out a pencil and some paper that you will find there. Then hop over into the waist of the boat and write.”
The boy obeyed, and by the time the launch entered the slip he had produced the following memorandum of invoice: