"Well, you had better let me have ten pounds. I think that will be sufficient."
"For the whole or for our share?" asked Harry pointedly.
"For your share," answered Fletcher after a pause. "It seems to me you are very suspicious."
Really he had intended to make the two boys pay for the whole stock of provisions and save his own purse, for he had in reality as much money as they.
"I only wanted to understand clearly," said Harry quietly. "As we are in some sort partners, that is fair, is it not?"
"Oh, yes," returned Fletcher, but he did not respond with any alacrity. "I'm always fair and above board, I am. No man can say that Dick Fletcher ever tried to get the best of him. Why, if I was better fixed I wouldn't let you two boys pay a cent. I'd shoulder the whole thing myself."
"Your offer is a very kind one, Mr. Fletcher——"
"Don't say Mr. Fletcher; call me Dick," interrupted their new acquaintance.
"I will if you wish it, though as you are so much older, it hardly seems proper. What I was going to say was that Jack and myself are determined to pay our share. We couldn't accept any such favor as you mention."
"That's all right. Now, if you let me have the ten pounds I'll take all the trouble off your hands, and have everything ready for a start to-morrow morning."