“No, I’ll sit down here,” and Grant took a seat on a wood horse, while Heywood leaned against the well curb, and waited for his young visitor to open his business.
“I hear you have been very lucky in California, Mr. Heywood.”
“Yes,” answered the young man, with complacency. “I brought home ten thousand dollars. It makes me feel like a rich man. I’m only twenty-nine, and I didn’t look to be worth that sum before I was sixty-nine. A clear gain of forty years!” he added with a laugh.
“You got it by digging gold, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“And I suppose there’s more gold in California? You didn’t take it all?”
“I should say not. There’s piles, and piles of it left.”
“Is digging gold very hard work? Is it too hard for a boy?”
“You don’t mean to say you’re thinkin’ of goin’ to California yourself?” said Heywood quickly.
“Yes, I do.”