“Of course I have,” was the answer. “I never wanted to go to sea, only just long enough to make one voyage; but I always did want to be a farmer. I’d rather follow that business than be captain of the best man-o’-war afloat. Now, two thousand head of cattle, at ten dollars each; that would make—let me see.”
“Ten dollars,” repeated Bob. “You wouldn’t sell beef-cattle for that small price, would you? That man may have shipped them to some Southern market, and received forty or fifty dollars each for them.”
“That’s more than I thought cattle were worth,” said Tom. “Now, two thousand head, at fifty dollars each; that makes just—just—”
“A hundred thousand dollars,” said the fisher-boy.
“That’s lots of money, isn’t it?” asked Tom. “Now, twenty-five hundred sheep, at two dollars a head; I heard father say that was the market price, but I wouldn’t sell for that, if I owned any. However, we’ll say two dollars; that would make—let me think—”
“Five thousand dollars,” said Bob.
“And that all makes—makes—”
“One hundred and five thousand dollars.”
Tom whistled long and loud.
“Now, wouldn’t you rather be a farmer than a sailor?” said he. “You couldn’t make as much money as that by going to sea, if you should live to be a thousand years old.”