“You had money enough to buy fool monkeys, didn’t you?”
Gerald answered promptly:
“That’s none of your business! Suppose we did. We paid it and it’s gone. So put that in your pipe and smoke it.”
Came the sullen answer: “Don’t smoke. Don’t waste my money. Pay up now, and get on. I want my supper, and it’s past milkin’ time a’ready.”
Melvin was shaking with chill, sitting there in his wet clothes, but the absurdity of the situation appealed to him, and he asked:
“Since we’ve spent all our money for monkeys, will you take a monk for pay?”
“No, siree. I’ve no use fer such vermin an’ you’ll get sick enough of ’em, ’fore you’re through.” With that the teamster drew his driest blanket about him, settled himself comfortably, and pretended to go to sleep. “Wake me up when you get ready to pay.”
Then began a fresh search in every pocket for the needed two dollars which would release them from this imprisonment.
“I haven’t got a penny!” declared old Cap’n Jack with tearful earnestness. “I spent every last one a-fixin’ up to look like a skipper’d ought to.”