“I don’t know just how much. He never told me.”
“Got five thousand dollars?”
“Perhaps so.”
“I don’t b’lieve it,” grunted Ethan, contemptuously. “I know Jock Cope, an’ I know he ain’t worth no sech money’s that. He’s done a pile o’ harm to this country, though, I’ll say that for him,” he added glumly.
“Done harm? My father done harm? I don’t believe it!” exclaimed Jock, warmly.
“Well, he has, whether ye believe it or not.”
“What’s he done?”
“Oh, he wasn’t satisfied to stay here an’ do what his father did afore him. No, he had to go off down to New York, an’ they say he’s worth five thousand dollars now. I don’t believe it, but all the boys reound here do, an’ so they’re goin’ off to teown to make their fortunes too. Now my boy Tom, he’s goin’ to help reound your camp, ye know, he’s got the fever too. Somebody’s told him if he’ll come down there they’ll get him a job on the street cars an’ pay him a dollar an’ a half every day.” And Ethan’s eyes became large as his voice dropped lower in his efforts to be more impressive. “He’s nothin’ but a young fool, that’s what he is, and he’s all took up with the notion. I want you boys to tell him ’tisn’t so, that is, if you know anything abeout it, which I don’t much believe for my part. It doesn’t stand to reason that there’d be anybody so tarnel foolish as jest to give him a dollar and a half every day for standin’ up on a street car. No, sir. I don’t believe no such thing.”
The boys looked at one another, and not even the sight of the beautiful river could keep back the look of amusement which crept over their faces.