“Have you any idea of going to the mines when you get money enough?”
“I think I would prefer to remain in the city.”
“Good! How is your education?”
“I have never been to college,” answered Dodger, with a smile.
“Good! I don’t care for your college men. I am a practical man myself.”
“I am a poor scholar, but Mr. Leslie tells me I write a fair hand.”
“Let me see a specimen of your writing.”
Now Dodger had taken special pains on the voyage to improve his penmanship, with excellent results.
So it happened that the specimen which he furnished had the good fortune to please Mr. Tucker.
“Good!” he said. “You will, a part of the time, be taking orders. Your handwriting is plain and will do. Never mind about Latin and Greek. You won’t need it. Chinese would be more serviceable to you here. When can you go to work?”