“No. I guess he wasn’t calc’lated for a gold miner.”
“He might have taken a lesson of you, Paul,” suggested Mrs. Crambo.
“I never had a good claim,” answered the master of the house. “If I had I’d have done as well as the next man.”
“It depends on who the next man was,” said his wife.
“There aint any more money in mining,” said Crambo dogmatically. “All the claims are petering out.”
“I guess you are the one that’s petered out.”
“Perhaps you’d like to go into the business yourself, Mrs. C.”
“No, thank you. I’ve all I can do to take care of you and the farm. Help yourself to the doughnuts, Mr. Cooper.”
“Thank you,” said Tom. “I haven’t eaten a doughnut before, since I left home. Your doughnuts can’t be beat.”
Mrs. Crambo was pleased with this tribute to her cooking, and was very gracious to her new boarders. After supper she showed them to a chamber on the second floor, well and comfortably furnished.