“If you would give us the name of the agent,” I said.
“I’ll do better—I’ll take you to him, and say you are friends of mine, if you are not ashamed of such a disreputable-looking character.”
“I was not ashamed to take your help just now,” I said.
“No,” he replied drily; “but you had no time then to examine my appearance. Where are you staying, my lads?”
I told him, and he uttered a long low whistle. “Of course I don’t know what your friends are, but doesn’t the money run away very fast?”
“Fast?” cried Esau; “why, I could live ten times as long on the same money in London.”
“I dare say you could live twenty times as long, boy; I could. Look here; these people are decent, clean, and honest,—do as you like,—hadn’t you better come here? They’ll board you for half the money I’m paying—that is, they would you. I don’t know about him—he’s such a wolfish-looking fellow.”
“Why, I don’t eat any more than he does!” cried Esau.
“Don’t think you do, boy, you should say. Well, what do you think of it?”
“Dunno,” said Esau, rather surlily. “Seems to me as if everybody here wants to rob you. How do I know you don’t?”