“’Bout fifty cents.”
Tim drew from his pocket a handful of coins, mostly pennies, and, retaining only three cents with which to pay his return passage on the ferry-boat, forced them upon the fugitive, saying when the boy remonstrated:
“You’ll need it all, an’ I can hustle a little livelier to-night, or borrow from some of the other fellers if trade don’t show up as it ought’er.”
Teddy followed his comrade’s example, paying no heed to Seth’s expostulations, save as he said:
“We’re bound to give you a lift, old man, so don’t say anything more about it. If you was the only feller in this city what had passed a lead nickel, perhaps this thing would look different to me; but the way I reckon it is, that the man what put the advertisement in the paper jest ’cause he’d been done out’er five cents is a mighty poor citizen, an’ I stand ready to do all I can towards keepin’ you away from him.”
“Look here, fellers,” Seth cried in what was very like despair as the steamer neared the dock, “I don’t know what to do, even after you’ve put up all your money. Where can Snip an’ I go? We’ve got to earn our livin’, an’ I don’t see how it’s to be done if we’re bound to hide all the time.”
“That’s easy enough,” and Tim spoke hopefully. “The city is a fool alongside the country, an’ I’m countin’ on your havin’ a reg’lar snap after you get settled down. When we land, you’re to strike right out, an’ keep on goin’ till you’re where there’s nothin’ but farms with milk, an’ pie, an’ stuff to eat layin’ ’round loose for the first feller what comes to pick ’em up. Pip Smith says farmers don’t do much of anything but fill theirselves with good things, an’ I’ve allers wanted to try my hand with ’em for one summer.”
Seth shook his head doubtfully. Although he had never been in the country, it did not seem reasonable that the picture drawn by Pip Smith was truthful, otherwise every city boy would turn farmer’s assistant, rather than remain where it cost considerable labor to provide themselves with food and a shelter.
“You’ll strike it rich somewhere,” Teddy said, with an air of conviction, “an’ then you can sneak back long enough to tell us where you’re hangin’ out. I’ll work down ’round the markets for a spell, an’ p’rhaps I’ll see some of the hayseeders you’ve run across.”
The conversation was brought to a close abruptly as the ferry-boat entered the dock with many a bump and reel against the heavy timbers; and Seth, with Snip hugged tightly to his bosom, pressed forward to the gates that he might be ready to leap ashore instantly they were opened.