“You did it up good,” he said. “How much you want?”
“I don’t know. What would be a fair price?”
“I will give you some supper and five dollars.”
Joe could hardly believe his ears. Five dollars and a supper for four hours’ work! Surely he had come to the Land of Gold in very truth.
“Will dat do?”
“Oh, yes,” said Joe. “I didn’t expect so much.”
“You shouldn’t tell me dat. It isn’t business.”
Joe pocketed the gold piece which he received with a thrill of exultation. He had never received so much in value for a week’s work before. Just then a man paid two dollars for a very plain supper.
“That makes my pay seven dollars,” said Joe to himself. “If I can get steady work, I can get rich very quick,” he thought.
There was one thing, however, that Joe did not take into account. If his earnings were likely to be large, his expenses would be large, too. So he might receive a good deal of money and not lay up a cent.