“Look here, young fellow,” said Hogan menacingly, “I’ve heard enough of this. You won’t find it safe to run against me. I’m a tough customer, you’ll find.”
“I don’t doubt it,” said Joe.
“Then just be careful, will you? I ain’t going to have you slander me and prejudice people against me, and I mean to protect myself. Do you understand me?”
“I think I do, Mr. Hogan, but I don’t feel particularly alarmed.”
Joe got up and went out in search of breakfast. Be thought of the place where he took supper but was deterred from going there by the high prices.
“I suppose I shall have to pay a dollar for my breakfast,” he thought, “but I can’t afford to pay two. My capital is reduced to five dollars and I may not be able to get anything to do to-day.”
Joe finally succeeded in finding a humble place where for a dollar he obtained a cup of coffee, a plate of cold meat, and as much bread as he could eat.
“I shall have to make it do with two meals a day,” thought our hero. “Then it will cost me three dollars a day to live, including lodging, and I shall have to be pretty lucky to make that.”
After breakfast Joe walked about the streets, hoping that something would turn up. But his luck did not seem to be so good as the day before. Hour after hour passed and no chance offered itself. As he was walking along feeling somewhat anxious, he met Hogan.
“Lend me a dollar,” said Hogan quickly. “I’m dead broke.”