Finally it was decided to keep the dust for the present in a box at their boarding-place. In the room the two partners found a sailor’s chest which had been left by a former boarder, who had left the house in arrears. Grant bought it of Mr. Crambo for a couple of dollars, and Paul seemed glad to get rid of it at that price. There was a good lock upon it, and into this chest their daily findings were put, till at the end of a fortnight, they had, according to Tom Cooper’s estimate, about one thousand dollars.
Of their good luck neither Mr. nor Mrs. Crambo had the slightest idea.
“How are you making out at the mines, Mr. Cooper?” asked Mrs. Crambo one evening.
“So, so!” answered Tom indifferently.
“You’ll never make your fortune at that there mine,” said Paul.
“Oh, well, we are not ambitious,” rejoined Grant. “If we make enough to pay our board and a little more, we shall not complain.”
“I hope you’ll do that,” said Mrs. Crambo. “I have got used to having you here, and should be sorry to have you go. If you should find yourself short at any time, just put off paying your board. I am not afraid to trust you.”
“You are very kind,” said Tom warmly; “but we had a little money with us when we came, and we are doing enough to make it pretty certain that we can pay our board.”
“You wouldn’t if you didn’t work harder than my husband.”
“My dear,” interposed Mr. Crambo, shrugging his shoulders, “I work as hard as I can. I wasn’t made for hard work.”