"And does he pay a license too?" asked the countryman, pointing to Mark, who had just come up.
"He only has to pay two hundred and fifty dollars," said Ben. "They aint so hard on him as on us."
The young man drew out his wallet reluctantly, and managed to raise twenty-three cents, which he handed to Ben.
"I wouldn't have had my boots blacked, if I'd known the price," he said. "I could have blacked 'em myself at home. They didn't cost but three dollars, and it don't pay to give twenty-five cents to have 'em blacked."
"It'll make 'em last twice as long," said Ben. "My blackin' is the superiorest kind, and keeps boots from wearin' out."
"I havn't got the other two cents," said the young man. "Aint that near enough?"
"It'll do," said Ben, magnanimously, "seein' you didn't know the price."
The victimized customer walked away, gratified to have saved the two cents, but hardly reconciled to have expended almost quarter of a dollar on a piece of work which he might have done himself before leaving home.