“So am I, if I can ever get there. I came out here three years ago to dig gold, and I had more money when I first got here than I have ever had since. I shall never be able to scrape enough together to pay my fare to Indiana, so I am going to work my way back. They want hands on the railroad up here at Independence. They are paying three dollars a day.”
“Now, I should like a chance like that,” said Chase. “Where is Independence?”
“Up the road a piece.”
“How is one to get there?”
“That’s the question. If we were only at Vallejo, we could walk up the railroad; but there are twenty-five miles of water between us and that place.”
“Well, won’t the railroad company furnish transportation to those who want to work for them?”
“I don’t know. Suppose we go back and look.”
Chase did not know what the man meant by going back and looking, but he followed him without asking any questions, and presently found himself in front of a large placard posted on a billboard and headed—
“500 More Men Wanted to Work on the Central
Pacific Railroad.”